Category: Pop

Words By Joey Rochert.

Lost Blonde’s latest single, ‘Wide Awake’, is a dazzling display of star quality. Drawing inspiration from the legendary pop icons, including Swifty, Lost Blonde seamlessly blends into the contemporary music scene while offering a unique appeal that’s impossible to refuse!

In ‘Wide Awake’, Lost Blonde’s vocals take center stage, delivered with an exquisite level of precision, unwavering confidence, and an unmistakable passion that envelops the listener. With each note, she weaves a spellbinding narrative that creates an emotional connection that resonates deeply.

The music accompanying her vocals is equally charming. Moreover, ‘Wide Awake’ boasts a feel-good cadence that immediately sets the hips in motion.

You can take a listen below.

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Photo Credit: Lost Blonde.

Words By Sam Wetherby.

Francesca Luker, from Bristol, is back with her latest single, ‘Almost Healed.’ Despite being in the early stages of her career, Francesca’s vocal abilities shine brilliantly, and you would feel mistaken thinking she is still fresh on the scene. Moreover, her performance is a revelation, delivering a poignant and powerful emotional journey that hits us from the first note.

‘Almost Healed’ is a track drenched in raw emotion, with Francesca’s passion oozing through the speakers. It gives a clear representation of the feelings one gets when overcoming some kind of difficulty and reaching a point where you can finally talk about it. As she continues to unveil her musical creations, Francesca Luker is on a trajectory that signals a promising career in the music industry and we are eager to hear her next!

Stream below. More updates from Francesca Luker here.

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Photo Credit: Francesca Luker.

Words By Joey Rochert.

Hello, Thomas! Your new album, ‘Late To Bloom’, is described as unique, combining heart-tugging storylines with dance floor rhythms. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the album?

Hey there! It’s good to hear from you. Thanks for having me back and thank you for listening to the new music! Pop music literally runs through my veins, so I knew I wanted some of my favorite artists to inspire the album, like Lady Gaga and Tiesto. We’ve got Ava Max inspirations, The Weeknd vibes, some deep house inspos, but regardless of there being a wide array of sounds on this album, it’s still very cohesive, and I think that’s important when releasing a project this size.

The goal was always to write, record, and release a full-length LP, but I didn’t necessarily have an exact idea of how I wanted it to sound. I just did a lot of research to find sounds that I really liked, that I would want to incorporate into my music, and collaborating with Electropoint just came so easily. We just went one to two tracks at a time, and VOILA! We’re very proud of what we’ve made and it warms my heart to know that you all like it too. ❤️‍🔥

You’ve had a successful career in both the entertainment industry and the music industry. How do you find the balance between your work as an actor and a recording artist?

The past 10 years have been an invaluable journey in learning how to maneuver these very complex industries. I love modeling and I love acting, but the impacts of COVID and planning to have a family required me to dial back… and of course, the SAG-AFTRA writers’ strike has prevented us from getting back to work. The working conditions, in my past experience, have been awful in some cases, and the pay, at times, laughable. So I stand in solidarity with the union and hope they reach a fair agreement soon…

With all that going on, I took a second and thought hard about where my passions lie. Making music fuels my soul. I’m able to model in my cover art, act in my music videos, and write and sing about my life and my self-discovery, hoping to reach other people and connect through music. Now, I’m in complete control of my story. That’s what keeps my cup full and, fortunately, I can’t stop.

‘Late To Bloom’ features collaborations with several artists. Could you share your experiences working with them and how these collaborations shaped the album’s overall sound and vibe?

a couple collaborations on it. I’ve met so many creative and passionate people in my life, and I’ve found that working together is the absolute BEST way to learn.

When I briefly lived in LA, I reconnected with an old friend from college, Lizzie Allyn, who is also a singer/songwriter… and I told her that I had started writing some songs too! Naturally, we began talking about our styles and our goals… while, at the time, I was working on my ‘Fairy Tales’ track, where I write about a boy and a girl struggling to see eye to eye. And I thought to myself, “Wow! This could be a perfect first collaboration for the album!” We began bouncing ideas off each other, and when she told me her idea for the rap in the bridge, I was just like, “YES!” Lizzie’s always been so fun-loving and free-spirited, and being a superfan of fairy tales herself, it just felt like a perfect match. She brings an element of magic to the record that really completes it.

My next collab on the album was for ‘Free Fallin,’ with Nathanael Hall, who is a dear friend and electronic music enthusiast. Nathanael is the kind of friend who will sip on rosé and talk about music with me all day long, and get excited about the little things, or help me through any kinks or roadblocks I may be facing… so he did help influence a lot of my decisions having to do with the sound and vibe of the album, which ultimately led to us doing a song together; and that’s track 5, ‘Free Fallin’.

There are SO many memories from making this record… especially filming the music video. We drove 3 or 4 hours upstate to go camping in the deep wilderness for this shoot. As much “FUN” as it was making this, I just remember being SUPER uncomfortable almost the entire time… for example, it really wasn’t fun having to haul a 500-lb generator up and down the hill to the campsite since we had no power or electricity for lights, cameras, or recharging batteries… or maybe the worst part was filming the opening drone shot where I’m lying naked on basically a Brillo pad of grass with teeny tiny bugs crawling all over me? I remember the outfit made out of gauze and ace bandage kept coming undone and falling down – truly the WORST costume I’ve ever worn – but it was inspired by Lady Gaga’s caution tape look, so we just had to make it work! Oh, and did I mention the BEAR we saw on day one, less than 100 feet from camp? Nathanael was over by a bush and all of a sudden a black bear’s head pops up and stands on his hind legs! It eventually walked away down the mountain… but we were paranoid ALL weekend (and shooting at night was terrifying)! All in all, it was definitely one for the books and I’m so grateful for Nathanael, our friends, and cinematographer, for hanging with us through all that chaos.

The third collaboration on the record is with the super talented jazz and soul vocalist, EJ Garlands. EJ and I go back more than 10 years and have been through it all. We know each other’s families, we’ve spent Christmases together, and he was the Man of Honor in my wedding. We met in a small town and moved to the Big City to tackle our dreams together… so, we’re more than friends, we’re family. When we wrote “Cringe” together, it was a lot of fun because it’s FULL of inside jokes. Essentially, it’s a pride anthem, encouraging relentless self-expression no matter what the haters may think. No one’s going to bring us down; not friends, not family, and definitely not ex-lovers. I remember shooting the cover art for this song being a lot of fun. We got all dressed up in Club Kid outfits and fun makeup, and climbed all over the inside and outside of my Alfa Romeo in Astoria. Making art with EJ is always exciting; He never ceases to amaze me. I remember being in the studio, and he had prepared this 5-part harmony for the chorus that we hadn’t previously talked about, and it just blew me away! We’re all super happy with how it turned out.

I truly love learning from and collaborating with other artists. The result: an abundance of fun stories, memories, and better-than-you-could-have-imagined dance tracks!!

We have to also talk about Electropoint! He rocks on this album! How did that partnership come about?

Oh gosh! What a talent that man is. Yes – Back in 2019, during COVID and the whole world shutting down, I wasn’t working and I decided I needed to do something creative to stay sane. So I reached out to a friend in the biz and got an introduction to Electropoint, who is now my producer, dear friend, and collaborator. At this point, I know his style, he sees my vision, and now that we’re comfortable making music together, each track keeps getting better and better. It feels natural, but it’s still challenging, and we’re always growing… I love it!

Ah what the heck – I’ll share with you here exclusively that there are THREE new projects on the docket and we are pumped to release the first track for TC2 in 2024. Follow my Instagram @iamthomascole or visit www.iamthomascole.com to stay in the loop! 🤩

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Photo Credit: Thomas Cole.

Words By Sam Wetherby.

With the release of his new album, ‘Late To Bloom’, Thomas Cole brings a sound that is fresher than a box of gum. The kind of artist who never settles for less than the best pushes things to an entirely new level with this 11-track gem, which includes hits that we have previously reviewed, such as ‘Execute The Vision’ and ‘Cringe’, as well as others! However, much to our surprise, he has also unveiled two new bangers, ‘Pass The Baton’ and ‘This World & The Next’. Both of these additions provide something fresh to the album.

‘Late to Bloom’, which is also the album’s title track, kicks off the album. From this song, we get an idea of what the remainder of the album will sound like. It is an effective intro, and it carves out an elegant way to get into the well-known ‘Fairy Tales’. My particular fave is the song ‘Up in Smoke’, which can be found around halfway through the album; it is this song that has been spinning in my ears for most of summer 2023! The album wraps up with ‘Pass The Baton’, a highly engaging track which will ring out for a long time.

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Photo Credit: Thomas Cole.

Words By Sam Wetherby.

Francesca Luker just dropped ‘Sunshine’, and I’m totally here for it! Remember how she wowed us with “Promise Land”? Well, this new track takes her vocal game to a whole new level.

The chorus in ‘Sunshine’ is where Francesca absolutely shines (pun intended). She effortlessly glides over the music, belting out those notes like a boss. And she’s not afraid to get a little gritty, adding some serious depth to the song.

But here’s the thing – ‘Sunshine’ isn’t just about Francesca’s incredible vocals; it’s got this chill, feel-good vibe that’s like a musical getaway to paradise. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to close your eyes and just soak it all in.

I can’t wait to see what she does next! You can listen below.

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Words By Joey Rochert.

Hello, Luke, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘What You Deserve’, what is the meaning? 

I created “What You Deserve” as a reflection on a past relationship where I felt unable to provide my partner with what they deserved, primarily due to bad timing and my own journey of self-discovery, revealing emotions of guilt and regret.

Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?

Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, and John Mayer all inspire me and my music!

What is the best thing about being a musician in 2023?

How many different ways there are to share my creativity with the world and resonate with anyone at the right time.

Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?

I’ve written most of my songs in my bedroom, especially over Zoom during covid. I love writing in my room because I have everything setup perfectly for me to have a fluent environment for my ideas to flow, and an efficient workflow.

What is your first memory of music? 

My first memory of music is singing karaoke at a bar when I was 9. I sang “The Earth Song” by Michael Jackson.

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Photo Credit: Luke Mock.

Words By Sam Wetherby.

Sharing with you all ‘What You Deserve’, the latest pop song from Luke Mock. The track boasts multi-faceted narratives and meticulously crafted melodies to get lost in! Also, amidst the beguiling hooks, Mock’s lyrical creativity prominently shines. His exuberant vocal delivery resonates with profundity, intertwining with a performance that bears the hallmark of a top-tier artist.

The song’s constituent elements synergistically converge to eloquently narrate an emotive anecdote, with the inherent intricacies open to discovery.

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Words By Joey Rochert.

Hello, Cathy, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Distorted Heart’, what is the meaning? 

Hi, yes so DH is basically about heartbreak/about a bad breakup. The pain of a relationship ending that you put so much time, emotion & effort in is truly heart wrenching especially when your efforts fall flat & unappreciated. It’s really about the pain of feeling like you have tried everything & yet it wasn’t enough & that hurts especially when all you want is undying & everlasting love.

Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?

To be quite honest, nobody. 

What is the best thing about being a musician in 2023?

1. Social Media. I have to say that Social Media is truly a great thing. I can promote myself & create my promotional content myself. I can control how my roll out is going to be & what I wanna share first & last. Social Media truly is good for promotional purposes & for your fans to connect with you on a more personal level.

2. You don’t necessarily have to wait to be discovered. You can just post a cover on youtube or scrap a couple 100$ together for a demo & release it yourself with a distribution website, it’s very easy, though a bit confusing in the beginning. A lot of things that were quite out of reach a few years ago are so accessible now a days which is amazing. You’re basically in control of what you do & not somebody else.

Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?

Well, I’d say I just go to my bedroom to write songs but I have also written some songs in the living room. I’d also say that I need some kind of quietness but sometimes some background music makes me feel more creative. There’s truly not that much that I need in order to write a song.

What is your first memory of music? 

My first music memory. I’m not quite sure or I am, I don’t know how to say it. I can say that the first probably was Michael Jackson because my parents had some DVD of his music videos & we would put it in the DVD player so that we could watch it & it had a bunch of old towards new-ish music/videos on it. But then again it feels like at the same time or as far as I can remember I was also very mesmerized by Hannah Montana & the High School Musical series.

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Photo Credit: Cathy Mpaka.

Words By Sam Wetherby.

Francesca Luker’s latest single, ‘Promise Land,’ is now available to stream online. Luker outperforms all expectations here; we were anticipating a respectable performance, but she excels admirably. Moreover, her ability is readily comparable to that of Remi Wolf and Rapsody.

For me, ‘Promise Land’ is more than just a groovy pop song; it has a powerful narrative about finding yourself in a perilous circumstance and knowing that you have someone there to provide a helping hand. It has a powerful impact on me, and I love it! Check it out below.

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Words By Joey Rochert.

Hello, Francesca, Let’s talk about your new single, ‘Promise Land’, what is the meaning? 

I wrote Promise Land in 2020, after a very dark time in my life transitioned into one of the happiest summers of my life. I had just met an amazing new band who helped this song blossom into the lively track it is today. They have since grown to be some of my best friends, so this song represents the beginning of an important era for me.

Promise Land encapsulates the very true cliche that hard times do always come to an end. I wrote the lyrics about adopting a half-glass-full attitude to life, embracing change and making positive steps towards my future- The idea that every small challenge you throw yourself into can lead you in the right direction.

Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?

I’m inspired by many artists, but my all time favourite is Lana Del Rey. Album after album I continue to adore everything she releases, even though her music has evolved drastically from some of her earlier stuff. For me I love that her albums tell a story- her songs are raw, personal and true reflections of how she’s feeling at the time. She doesn’t write to please her audience or to have a chart topper, she writes whatever the hell she wants, which can vary from nine minute long songs to new melodic and lyrical material that sounds nothing like any other artist. But whatever she writes, I always enjoy her mellow, enchanting sound as a refreshing contrast from the other mostly upbeat music I listen to.

What is the best thing about being a musician in 2023?

The best thing about being a musician in 2023 is how easy it is to access advanced music technology. Being able to use programs such as logic, takes my songwriting to a whole new level. Instead of just having piano and vocals to write with, I have a whole library of drum loops, midi instruments and synths to work with. For example, without even playing bass, a lot of the songs I’ve written started off with bass-lines- Promise Land included. Using Logic, my guitarist and I were able to record the whole song from home without even going to a recording studio.

Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?

I usually write music in my room, because this is where my keyboard and recording equipment is. But song ideas can come to me absolutely anytime, anywhere- I could be walking around in public, at uni or in the shower- So I just have to record a voice memo to save for later so I can create a song from it next time I’m writing in my room!

What is your first memory of music? 

My earliest memories of music are of my dad playing artists like Lauryn Hill, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell and Sia around the house. Growing up I was exposed to an eclectic range of genres, especially Neo-soul, jazz and funk- all of which had a massive impact on how I learned to sing, because I developed a love for these genres and began mimicking their style of vocals. As a kid I was basically just singing all the time- so music has always been a big part of my life.

Francesca Luker on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/francescaluker

https://www.facebook.com/francescalukermusic

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Photo Credit: Francesca Luker.