musomusofm on the radar playlist #22 - Avaraj, Macy, First Frontier, No Suits in Miami, Phonix, Cat Calabrese and more....
Would you believe it….it’s February 19th already, this means that we are more than midway through the second month of 2022 already, I really don’t know where the time goes, the last time I thought about it, the New Year was dawning and fresh challenges greeted us, that was 6 weeks ago….42 days to be precise!
Anyway, less of the fact that my life is running away from me like a runaway mine cart and back onto the topic of new music.
We have 9 amazing tracks for you on the playlist courtesy of 9 acts from all over the place.
Underneath the playlist, you’ll find details of our featured artists and their social media pages, please take a few moments to explore these further as they truly are gifted acts and people that demand your attention.
See you on the other side.
Avaraj
Hailing from Rome, Georgia, Avaraj is an up and coming rapper/singer/songwriter with a penchant for writing infectious tunes and relatable narratives.
Her musical journey began after wanting to form genuine connections with people and tell their stories.
Greatly influenced by real life experiences, she draws inspiration for her music from personal experiences and hardships, allowing her to invoke strong emotions in people.
Of the song, Avaraj adds, “I was listening to all the songs I plan to release soon, and I started worrying how people I know might see me after hearing them. They talk about pretty private issues, so I wondered if people might start seeing me differently or if my relationships would change. Those concerns are what inspired this song.”
Avaraj plans on releasing her second EP and first full length album in 2022 along with a slew of singles which will be backed by lyric and music videos.
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Macy
The Single PINK BANDANA is the latest release from one of the UK’s most exciting new pop artists MACY. This self-affirming single, follows on from the success of MACY’s previous 2021 releases SWEET HONEY, RAINBOW EYES, WAIT, I'M GOOD & EP WORDS4LUV.
PINK BANDANA, produced by Owain Felstead, tackles the early stages of heartache via the rosy lens of a couple's baby photographs, dressed as a tongue-in-cheek slice of pop funk. You grow up alongside them as the verses proceed, from high chairs through to unfortunate adolescent periods. The chorus comes to the realisation that these images are all they have to rely on, these days. PINK BANDANA is the first song of MACY’s second EP, due for release in 2022.
MACY's songs are infectious, with feel-good lyrics delivered in her own individual style, and this single follows suit, playing with 80's sounds and trends in traditional MACY flair. The Forte10 project, Help Musicians, Horizons and Launchpad artist funding have all lent their support to her music. These have allowed her to promote her music abroad and achieve placement on playlists all across the world. BBC Introducing are big supporters of MACY and her previous five releases have all landed a place on the BBC A -List playlist for numerous weeks.
Rounding off 2021, as one of Wales new rising stars, MACY was invited to perform and chat on a BBC Radio Chistmas special show, "The Quinnells at Christmas," which aired on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The show saw her perform along side Emeli Sandé and John Owen-Jones.
MACY has recently joined the WILD Management ROSTER and is excited to be performing her first live shows since the Covid Pandemic, including a headline showcase at The Fiddler, London. More shows to be revealed in 2022.
Having already enjoyed support from BBC Introducing, BBC WALES, Amazing Radio USA/UK, Radio Cardiff, & Reform Radio, it’s looking highly likely that 2022 is MACY’S for the taking….
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First Frontier
At its core, INSIST is a love song. But unlike most love songs, it’s about wanting to make yourself better for somebody that you love. The song flies in the face of modern, western romance, where the other person is seen as an object in the pursuit of self-actualisation. We wanted to explore how love is not about seeking somebody to complete us, but about finding somebody who makes us want to make ourselves complete.
The band go on , “We like this tune a lot. If you’ve heard any of our previous singles, you’ll immediately recognise that Insist is slower and much less intense than some of our other songs. We wanted to explore a more vulnerable side of ourselves. We hope you enjoy going there with us and would love for you to take a listen and see if it’s something you’d like to write about and/or share.”
They added, “Like many of our songs, this song could also apply to our planet. We must insist that we’re stronger and truer for it. There’s a trust that we sustain one another. Humanity has often broken that trust.”
First Frontier are a Birmingham-based rock duo and they’re about to release their fourth single (ahead of their debut EP ‘Just Matter’ which lands on 18th March, 2022).
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No Suits in Miami
On the 14th of January, No Suits in Miami’s latest single “The Robins Sang” was released as a part of their forthcoming album “Nothing Ever Happens”.
Asked about the track, the band said, “The song is about the feeling when you meet someone new and you feel just as uncool as Morrissey. Some might say that the song is a postcard from Bristol's own Sarah, while others would describe it as a soundtrack for flower shopping, coffee drinking and reminiscing in a foggy and dew-covered park. Either way, the song has potential to thaw melancholic hearts as well as cool down the margaritas of tourists visiting the French Riviera.”
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Phonix
Phonix is a one man band who plays guitars, bass, keys, synths, organ, piano, drums and performs all vocal duties too.
Drawing influence from a wide selection of acts including Dave Matthews Band, David Guetta, Radiohead, Calvin Harris, Phonix enjoys entering ‘beat battles’, “The most recent beat battle I was in was for Hyperpop producer, UMRU, sponsored by Splice. The beat battles are always a lot of fun. You can find all of my beats from those battles on my SoundCloud.”
The song is about limiting beliefs and realising that they are there and that we are the ones that are in our way sometimes and just need to get out of the way and stop it with the self sabotage.
He hopes that his music can be like an AA meeting where he tells people what he’s working through and it helps them and inspires them to work through their own issues and problems.
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Cat Calabrese
Hailing from Cleveland, Cat Calabrese is a pop vocalist and songwriter.
She writes her lyrics with fearless vulnerability while weaving in memorable and catchy pop melodies. Cat began her solo career as a way to cope with and heal from trauma. Feeling stripped of all control, she looked to music to regain her power and begin fighting back. In doing so, she is cultivating a pop sound that reflects a woman who is ready to tell her own story in her own words.
Cat launched her career in March 2021 with her debut single, "Quicksand", co-produced by Wavy Duder, a collaborator of Machine Gun Kelly's.
Eager to build on the momentum of Quicksand, Cat teamed up with producer and songwriter DJ London Bridges and she has been aggressively releasing new singles since her debut. She has gained the attention of Rolling Stone and landed an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Cat says she is "telling her truth one song at time". Whether she is belting a powerhouse break-up anthem or showing her softer, more vulnerable side, Cat's music will leave you humming her truths and eager to hear more.
Cat is kicking off her second year of releases with her seventh single, 'Mine'. Written originally in 2018, 'Mine' paints a picture of a potential relationship stuck in a phase of indecision. She knows what she wants and is waiting for the man in her life to stop playing games and discover what she already knows: that this is what love is supposed to feel like when it's right and real.
Cat is beginning to work on new music and will be releasing throughout 2022 and is working on new music daily. You will also be hearing from her on several features/collaborations in the near future.
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SO there you have it folks, another 9 awesome tracks for you to get your ears around. If you liked any of them, please hit them up on the socials and tell them, mention that you heard them on the musomusofm on the radar playlist and they might even buy me a cookie if our paths ever cross!
Please take a moment to spread the word on social media, it’s on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, just head to musomusouk on either platform and give it a LIKE, SHARE, THUMBS UP or whatever you can!
Until next time…..