Category Archives: Next Up

New Americana x American Apparel?

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Just a little while ago, I was listening to Julie Adenuga on Beats 1. I was really diggin’ her set as she played a few records that I have in my own rotation such as “Girl” by The Internet and “Unstoppable” by Lianne La Havas. A few spins later, I happened to hear a tune by the name of “New Americana.” When I first heard it, I thought to myself: “This sounds like it would be a perfect record for an American Apparel campaign.” It’s edgy, honest, and full of adolescent rage. On my first listen, I knew that it was just a bad a** record!

Without checking for any credentials, I initially thought that it was a new release from Lorde. I was soon proven wrong. After checking my phone, I found out that “New Americana” is actually from an artist by the name of Halsey who hails from my current state of residence…New Jersey. Although she’s from NJ, she actually identifies closely with New York…Brooklyn to be exact. At only 20 years of age, Halsey is already signed to Astralwerks and her debut album, “Badlands” is due out next month.

For more on the talented and burgeoning singer/songwriter, check out Fuse TV’s in depth interview HERE! American Apparel, I’m telling you now…if you’re looking to align and collaborate with any emerging artists for any future campaigns, I would definitely put my money on Halsey. She seems like a great fit for your brands sonic identity. If done right, this can definitely be a win-win!

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Creative Consultant, Educator, and Music Publisher. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies such as Cornerstone Agency, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and consumers. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe.

Khary Durgans – Hold Up (Love + Anchors)

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I should have made this post 8 months ago. November 11, 2014 to be exact. Why? That’s the day after I attended Khary Durgans listening party in the city for the release of his “Swim Team EP.” My favorite track is “Hold Up”…hands down! If you had the pleasure of being amongst the crowd that evening you would know exactly what I mean. As soon as this track dropped the entire room was filled with energy. This was the one. I just felt it. I even overheard some guys next to me who agreed. Now it’s your turn. Give it play…see exactly what I mean!

Background Story

I was initially introduced to Khary’s music through a friend of mine named Whitney. This was a few months after he released his debut project entitled, “Love + Anchors.” I must of listened to this project 10 times! I was an instant fan. He embodies many of the qualities that I look for when identifying talent to work with. He’s authentic, true to himself, and embraces his own journey. He selflessly shares his story in regards to growing up in Rhode Island and moving to Brooklyn, NY. Not afraid to bare it all, he spits about what a lot of other MC’s fear to discuss. Real life sh*t! Employment, friends, foes, relationships, school, women, parents, and his mission to pursue his own dreams and aspirations. Khary is the definition of #ALOVERSAmbition – The type of artist who is determined to succeed at exactly what they love to do in life!

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Creative Consultant, Educator, and Music Publisher. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies such as Cornerstone Agency, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and consumers. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe.

Izzy Bizu – Adam & Eve (w/Bonus Track)

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I remember my first post almost 2 years ago on how I initially came across the lovely and talented, Izzy Bizu. To have the opportunity to both witness and play a role in spreading awareness on her projects early in her career is very fulfilling. Identifying emerging talent upon entry into the commercial marketplace is something that I have a deep passion for!

2 years later, and now 21 years of age, Izzy only continues to blossom into a more experienced and seasoned artist, performer, and storyteller. She now has the backing of a major label after inking a deal with Epic Records. She has supported major acts such as Jamie Cullum, Milky Chance, and Sam Smith. She is also in the process of recording her debut album which is due to be released sometime this year.

Here is the video for her newest release entitled, “Adam & Eve”…Enjoy!

…Are you searching for more ear candy? Here is another lovely release from Izzy entitled, “Diamond” which is a super smooth cut!

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Creative Consultant, Educator, and Music Publisher. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies such as Cornerstone Agency, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and consumers. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe.

India Shawn + James Fauntleroy – Outer Limits

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I remember when I first came across India Shawn back in 2012. In fact, my post of her debut project, Origin was on this very website. 12/6/2012 was the date. “Sinking In” and “I’m Alive” are still some of my favorite tracks to date. Fast forward 2 years and here we are today. India Shawn…James Fauntleroy…Outer Limits. What more can we ask for?

India embodies an essence which is somewhat ethereal. Her music is angelic. Her state of mind is deep. She’s curious about life, and she’s super creative in her artistic expression. Listen to “No Saint” and you may understand exactly where I’m coming from! For now, let’s allow her to do what she does best…take us to outer limits. Look out for the EP in March.

Enjoy!

Kali Uchis – Por Vida EP

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I woke up this morning, meditated for 10 minutes, and took a look down my soundcloud timeline to see what new releases surfaced during my (undisclosed) time of rest. Uh ohhhhh…I see that Kali Uchis just released her debut EP, Por Vida! How did I miss this last night? I’ve been waiting on her project since I heard a few remixes of her single, “Know What I Want.” The ESTA. remix is fire!

So…what are some of my favorite joints? I’m really diggin’ “Rush”, “Ridin Round”, and “Speed”. “Rush” sounds like it can be one of the lead tracks off of her project in it’s own right. I would love to see visuals! “Ridin Round” offers a nice alternative twist to the fundamentals of trap and “Speed” gives me those breaks that Chad, Pharrell, and Tyler always seem to master so well. It only makes sense that Tyler produced it.

Where can you catch Kali? All over, she’s already blessed many of the major media outlets such as Billboard, The Fader, and Pitchfork just to name a few. I’m looking forward to following her career as she continues to take things to new heights! I would love to see her get in the studio with The Neptunes. I would also be curious to see how she sounds over some of their production. I’m sure that they have a bunch of tracks just laying around. She may be the right artist to make something out of nothing. Plus, it may make for a nice project or even mixtape. Can we make that happen?

Overall, Kali is an artist who definitely has her own aesthetic. She expresses her art, style, thoughts, and vision on her own terms…period! Not only do I have some tunes to take me into the summer, but most likely, this may also be a project to consider for a lot of year end lists come December.

Enjoy!

NIKOS Band EP

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As the first full week of 2015 abruptly comes to an end, I find myself earnestly working on narrowing down the emails and LinkedIn messages that I have yet to get to in 2014. One message that I had to revisit comes from a young man by the name of Jeff Motekaitis.

Jeff is the bass player in a band by the name of NIKOS. After finally getting a chance to sit down and check out their music, I was impressed. Their self-titled debut EP on soundcloud was totally worth the listen. I had it on repeat for about 3-4 cycles while cooking and eating dinner.

I’m always happy to witness the emergence of new artists and bands. I’m even more excited about the potential to work with these new artists and bands in some capacity in the near future.

I hope that you enjoy NIKOS like I do!

YAW – Hump Day

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Last week as I was perusing through twitter on a routine hunt to connect with new faces, I came across a profile that included Artist Mgmt/DJ in the description. The person’s name happened to be Mike Cellucci. What happened next? Of course I had to reach out and inquire about some of the acts in which he manages.

The first act that he sent me is an MC named YAW (pronounce Yáo). I checked out his twitter and then clicked on a link to his bandcamp page. As soon as I heard ‘Cool‘, I wanted to listen to more. When I heard ‘The Office Fling‘, I was sold. It doesn’t take me long to identify talent once I encounter it. YAW has the ability to tell magnificent stories that everyday people can relate to. He verbally paints pictures that stick vividly to ones mind. His latest project is entitled, Hump Day and specifically discusses the interaction between male and female regarding a variety of issues; dating, courting, relationships, infidelity, etc.

Sit back, vibe out, and enjoy!

Victoria Monét – Nightmares & Lullabies EP (Act 1)

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I initially came across Victoria Monét a few weeks ago while I was checking out Eric Bellinger’s latest release, The Rebirth on Spotify. I heard her performance on ‘Liquid Courage‘ and I could immediately tell that she was pretty seasoned in her development. I’ve always been intrigued by female vocalists and she was definitely no exception.

After some additional research, I found out that she released her own project on soundcloud entitled, Nightmares & Lullabies (Act 1). With 5 tracks all totaling under 20 minutes (6 including the bonus ‘Trouble’), it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll be listening in to this more than once. My personal favorites include, ‘Made In China’, ‘Good Time x Trouble’, and ‘Backyard’.

I’m sure that you’ll enjoy what you hear…oh yeah, here’s a bonus performance that I came across on her youtube page also…pretty dope!

http://youtu.be/fEyDL5kN1tE