Global Artists Spotlight: Cherry Lena, Tommy Lefroy, James Mantis And More

Cherry Lena – “Love-Bombed And Ghosted”

Canadian artist Cherry Lena juxtaposes R&B and jazz with her pop sensibility on her latest soulful track “Love-Bombed And Ghosted.” The track features gritty riffs, a punchy bassline and in-your-face percussion. Talking about the track, Len said, “It’s about a boy I met in June. I fell hard and fast. He showered me with love and affection and then simply vanished from my life. It hurt my pride the most. I felt like such a fool since he was never even mine.”

Tommy Lefroy – “Vampires”

U.S./Canada indie-rock duo Tommy Lefroy delivers quite an emotive sonic experience on their guitar-driven song “Vampires.” The song includes the pair’s magical vocal harmonies while distorted guitar strums, piano parts, a polished production as well as a groovy beat come together to create quite the earworm. In a statement, the duo said, “We wrote ‘Vampires’ for our friends. It’s about watching someone start to go through it, and staying with them as they get through it. We wrote it for each other as well—we’re both people who used to fight off feelings, but now try to greet them as they come.”

James Mantis – Jab Step Pop

Los Angeles-based artist James Mantis brings forth various sounds and textures on his recently released five-track EP Jab Step Pop. The record fuses alt-indie with hints of experimental rock and a rich lashing of hip-hop. Mantis—who counts the EP as his “first major step out”—said in a statement, “I wanted this project to be a mixture of what I could do.”

sedatø – “øvrcnfdnt”

Bassist Tim Lefebvre and keyboardist Jason Lindner are known for being part of David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, but here they’ve teamed up for a project that’s even more out-there called sedatø. Their first release “øvrcnfdnt”–produced by Abe Seiferth–is a spectral, uptempo journey through synth-rock, psychedelia and more.

Nikita Bassi – “Find Out”

London-based, Indian-origin R&B/pop artist Nikita Bassi teams up with her go-to producer Cores for her latest single “Find Out.” Tinged with piano, guitar and drum machine, Bassi’s layered harmonies carry the song through, as Bassi sings about “two souls navigating a rapturous yet hopeless relationship.” The song is part of Bassi’s forthcoming EP Chapters, due early next year.

Brian Michael Henry – “Waiting”

New York-based queer darkwave/synth-pop artist Brian Michael Henry offers a glimpse of his upcoming EP The Horror! The Horror! (out in January) with the ominous yet shimmering track “Waiting.” Drawing heavily from ‘80s synth songs, in terms of forlorn vocals and foot-tapping rhythms, it’s hard to believe Henry when he says he used to hate the sound of synthesizers when you hear “Waiting.” He adds in a statement, “As I’ve gotten older and listened to more synth music and film scores, it’s something I’ve grown to love. I don’t think these songs sound like a horror soundtrack, musically, but I wanted to capture some of those textures that synths provide.”

The O’My’s – “Realistic”

Chicago-bred duo The O’My’s pull in several directions on their latest single “Realistic,” featuring singer-songwriter Alex Banin. There’s seemingly ska and reggae-like rhythms, a horn section adding the grooves and Banin’s distinctive R&B vocals. The O’My’s, comprising singer-guitarist Maceo Vidal-Haymes and multi-instrumentalist Nick Hennessey, have previously worked with the likes of Chance the Rapper on songs like “The Wonder Years” in 2012.

Niomí – “With You”

London-based Irish-Pakistani artist Niomí has released a pensive new song “With You,” as part of her three-track project Pain Relief. Driven by atmospheric production, piano melodies and a soothing cello, the artist sings about a long-term relationship which was abusive. She adds about the making of the EP, “I find this link between body and mind really interesting. Most of my songs are, at their core, about pain in the form of heartbreak and finding some relief from it.”