Global Artists Spotlight: RUA, SaintAhmad, Ay Wing And More

RUA – “Pretty Good Right Now”

Irish-bred and Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter RUA’s debut single “Pretty Good Right Now” is a nostalgic and optimistic folk-pop offering. The track includes delicate guitar plucking and RUA’s hopeful vocals. In a statement, the artist said, “[It’s a] tune to see us through the final stretch as we transition out of pandemic blues and trust in the pretty good times we have ahead. Definitely a song to blare while driving with the windows down at sunset.”

Ay Wing – “Lift Me Up”

Swiss native and Berlin-based artist Ay Wing brings her energetic R&B sensibilities to her latest funky track “Lift Me Up.” The new song’s dazzling mix of a hooky bass groove, percussion and signature synths make it a definite summer bop. The first of three songs which look at the female menstrual cycle, Wing says, “It’s about the ovulation stage, where women may feel at their most strong and sexy.”

Dan Berk – “Ghost Stories”

New York City-based singer-songwriter Dan Berk recently dropped a taste of his upcoming debut EP Ghost Stories in the shape of the acoustic pop title track. The song’s modern production as well as Berk’s refrain in the chorus make it quite a memorable one. The artist says, “It deals with self-blame, obsession and an inability to move on.”

Eladio Carrion – “AL CAPONE”

U.S.-based hip-hop artist Eladio Carrion returns with hard-hitting bars over a slick beat with his latest release “AL CAPONE” which is the first offering from his upcoming mixtape.

Jazzie Young – grown up & grown apart

Los Angeles-based pop artist Jazzie Young recently released her seven-track debut EP grown up & grown apart. The track includes songs about relationships, friendships and self-exploration that the 26-year-old artist has gone through until now. Sonically, the record features various elements from pop, folk, R&B and more. Young – who is the daughter of American rock band The Youngbloods’ lead singer Jessie Colin Young – recorded the EP at her father’s studio that was built in the Seventies.

ENTITY – “Play Me (Don’t)”

New York-based queer goth electro/pop artist Natalie Diaz aka ENTITY’s new lush and spellbinding dark pop single “Play Me (Don’t)” is from her upcoming EP Visions in Black. The charged-up track includes drowning synths, EDM beats as well as Diaz’s full-throated vocals about “how two ex-lovers reunite after being separated for many years.” However, they encounter an unsuccessful attempt to reconvene after growing apart. The artist has also released a vibrant music video to accompany the song.

BIIANCO – “checkmate”

U.S.-based nonbinary artist BIIANCO’s latest release is the elegant and fresh “checkmate.” The singer’s mellifluous vocals over the song’s scintillating and well-crafted production make it quite the earworm. Lyrically, the track emphasizes feeling, dealing, and ultimately healing from your traumas. The song’s accompanying video – that showcases a floating, possessed BIIANCO in a cabin in the woods after a love spell ritual gone wrong – has been inspired by films such Hereditary, Midsommar and The VVitch.

Blacksmith – “Everything Is Blue”

Bristolian rapper Blacksmith’s new song “Everything Is Blue” is an ode to the tumultuous times spent watching the world unfold due to the pandemic. The laidback, breezy beat juxtaposed with a buoyant guitar riff as well as beautiful piano notes and Blacksmith’s slick rhymes will have you putting this song on loop.

Normanton Street – “Grace”

Brighton-based soul-fusion band Normanton Street recently teamed up with the symphonic melodies provided by the Bradford Youth Orchestra on their latest single “Grace.” With a combination of punchy vocals, a suave rap section and a well-put-together arrangement, the track captures all the emotional tensions one feels when they are let down. In a statement, singer Phoebe said, “I hope the message that people take away from ‘Grace’ is that it’s sometimes okay to feel negative emotions – to feel angry or hurt. What matters most is that you address those feelings in order to move on – this song helped me do that and we hope it does that for others too.” The single’s artwork has been designed by Mumbai-based illustrator and graphic designer Nishika D’silva.

SaintAhmad – “Clouds”

Brooklyn-based rapper-singer SaintAhmad explores the concept of his sexuality on the new vibey feel-good song “Clouds.” The track includes R&B elements, silky vocals as well as a sensual feel to the song. According to SaintAhmad, he says, “I wrote ‘Clouds’ through the lens of having a sexual relationship with smoking weed. I found this to be the best way to express my current circumstances and the way that I felt about myself during that time.” The artist adds, “The song toys on the line of hyper sexuality and rolling a blunt. Imagine rolling a blunt in the most sexual way possible.”

Cautious Clay – Deadpan Love

R&B/hip-hop artist Cautious Clay aka Joshua Karpeh has taken over the airwaves with his shimmering debut album Deadpan Love. Injecting unexpected jazz phrasing, sublime soul and more anchor the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in standout songwriting. Previously known for his 2018 song “Cold War,” Cautious Clay has steadily risen to occupy the space among America’s next-gen talent.

Jordana Talsky – “Oh Yeah”

Canadian singer-songwriter Jordana Talsky offers the first glimpse of her upcoming all vocal-looping EP with “Oh Yeah,” a cheery pop song that’s affable and reassuring. “I describe it as ‘Bobby McFerrin meets female pop.’ I made the shift to accompanying myself with my voice through digital means a bit before the pandemic, and it proved to be something that has benefited my ability to create and produce during this time,” she says.

Lari Luke – “On Top of the World” ft PollyAnna

Multilingual German bass/electronic artist and radio host Lari Luke gets an assist from Dutch songwriter-vocalist PollyAnna to soundtrack the triumphant escape from a toxic relationship on their bright and synth-pop inflected new song “On Top of the World.” The song follows the pair’s 2020 collaboration “Jealousy,” while PollyAnna has been part of songs produced by electronic frontrunners like Yves V, R3HAB and more.

French Original – “Only For A Night”

Streaming out of his Twitch channel three times a week, Cannes-bred producer and multi-instrumentalist French Original released his debut single “History” last year and is now out with his third single “Only For A Night.” The buoyant electronic-pop song longs for love and closeness, over house beats. The artist adds in his statement about the song, “I’ve only had two original tracks and some remixes out to date; my online community is always asking when more music is going to be available. There’s so much more to come, the artwork too reflects this.”

Shye – “not rly”

Singapore’s 19-year-old singer-songwriter and producer Shye brings an early 2000s dark-pop aesthetic and a cheery disposition to her latest release “not rly,” which aims to drive home a message of self-worth. “I think we all have insecurities and sometimes we let them get the better of us when we turn a blind eye to red flags and put others on a pedestal. The song is about waking up to know your own name and what it stands for,” explains Shye.