After an insane photoshoot where Loreen dripped in confidence and flare, we spoke to her about life after the Eurovision and what is up next for the superstar. Loreen teases about a new album she is working on with some exciting collaborative artists. Check out the latest issue of Voir Fashion magazine featuring Loreen! Click to view Loreen’s interview here.

Loreen Wears ‘Tied-Up’ body suit: Whitaker Malem for the cover of Voir Fashion Magazine
website: whitakermalem.co.uk

Captured by Vadym Yatsun

Styled by Our Editor Jyoti Matoo

Danila Giangreco (Hair)

Giulia Oldani (Nail Artist)

Sasha Chudeeva (MUA)

Charlie Fairs (Set Designer)

The post Voir Fashion Issue 33: Featuring Loreen appeared first on Voir Fashion.

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25-year-old, Clayton County dweller, Latto has recently become a house-hold name following her prestigious nominations, awards, and titles including the 2023 BET “Best Female Hip-Hip Artist” award and recent pair of Grammy Award nominations including ‘Best New Artist’ and “Best Melodic Rap Performance”. 

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Following her much-anticipated second studio album ‘777’, released in 2022 which saw Latto dip her toe into the pop scene, her single “Big Energy,” climbed to No. 3 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on Pop Airplay. Following this success, Latto collaborated with BTS’ Jungkook for his single “Seven,” which became the first Hot 100 chart-topper for both art§ists and went on to win “Song of the Summer” at the 2023 MTV VMA Awards.

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Latto then solidified her legacy as the first ever female headliner of ATL’s Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash, and as the first female rapper to ever have a #1 record at Pop, Rhythm and Urban Radio with her hit RIAA-certified 3x Platinum single “Big Energy”, effortlessly showing the world that this Georgia Peach is one to pick.

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Drawing keen inspiration from her Georgian roots, this southern belle is serving more than iced tea to her dedicated fans this summer. Her highly anticipated third studio album ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea’ features 21 tracks of singles, “Big Mama,” “Sunday Service,” “Put It On Da Floor”, and remixes featuring other A-List Southern artists including Megan Thee Stallion, Ciara, Coco Jones, Young Nudy, Flo Milli, and Teezo Touchdown, and is proving to be the sweet refreshment we’re craving. Pulling from inspirations Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Lil’ Kim but with her signature Southern hip-hop twist, Big Mama expertly presents a very feminine energy with a masculine sense of confidence, effortlessly producing a yin, yang effect to her music.

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But Latto’s artistic flair doesn’t stop there. Frequently showcasing striking reds, pinks, and patterns, Latto’s understanding of daring fashion and colour theory paints her Instagram as more of a gallery, allowing a visual extension of her art to run alongside her music career. Having also attended various fashion weeks over the years spanning New York, Milan, and Paris, Latto’s playful and sexy looks embrace a new, fun, and explorational phase in her career.

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Craving more? Excitingly, since concluding her special feature on Lizzo’s tour, Latto has teased an upcoming tour in her recent Billboard feature, and even hinted at her advocacy for affordable ticket prices, stating: “I want it to be an experience, but also affordable”, once again showcasing those sweet, Southern manners and genuine care for her fans.

With over one billion streams worldwide, a new album, and upcoming tour, Latto proves once again, there ain’t nothing like a Georgia girl.

_{Written By Isobel O’Connor}

The post Is This What You Wanted? Is This What You Need? appeared first on Voir Fashion.

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 Tyla’s album arrives as a testament to her rise in the music industry. Featuring 15 tracks, “TYLA” offers a diverse range of songs that encapsulates the essence of African pop culture while seamlessly blending elements of Amapiano, Hip Hop, Pop, and R&B. Tracks like ‘Safer’, ‘Truth or Dare’, and the Becky G-featured ‘On My Body’ serve as reminiscent echoes of Tyla’s chart-topping hit ‘Water’, while other gems like ‘Jump’ with Gunna and Skillibeng deliver high-octane energy that ignites the soul. 

Reflecting on her musical odyssey, Tyla shared, “When I listen to the album, I’m so proud of it. I just see our sound going so far: the culture, the words, the slang. Even just Joburg — the thought of people now singing about Joburg.” This sentiment highlights Tyla’s deep-rooted connection to her African heritage and her commitment to elevating the continent’s rich musical tapestry onto the global stage. 

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The release of “TYLA” marks a historic milestone for Tyla, whose chart-topping single ‘Water’ catapulted her to the upper echelons of the music industry, earning her a coveted spot as the highest-charting female soloist in African history on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. With an RIAA Platinum certification and a GRAMMY win under her belt for “Best African Music Performance”, Tyla’s star continues to ascend, illuminating the path for future generations of African artists. 

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In the words of Ezekiel Lewis, President of Epic Records, “Her young star is on the rise, and this project marks one more step towards the achievement of a global music fan base rooted in the touch and feel of Amapiano, R&B, and Pop.” Indeed, “TYLA” is not just an album—it’s a cultural phenomenon that transcends countries, unites nations, and celebrates the vibrant tapestry of African music and culture. 

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For fans eager to immerse themselves in the full TYLA experience, an array of exclusive merch bundles, including autographed vinyl options, streetwear, and album posters, are available for purchase. Dive into the enchanting world of “TYLA” and experience the magic of African music “The Tyla Way”. 

_{Written By Gabriella Neocleous}

The post Tyla Unveils Her Debut Album “TYLA” appeared first on Voir Fashion.

_{Image Credits: Daniel Sannwald}

“The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth,” Uchis says. “I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to re-define the way we look at Latinas in music.”

Her fans, the self-proclaimed ‘Kuchis’ ( no, the phonetic pronunciation is no accident), got a snippet of this reimagining in August with Muñekita. In the single, her signature soft vocals are braided with the fast pulsing rhythm of Dominican dembow singer El Alfa and City Girls’ JT’s sharp rap.

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Living between Virginia and Colombia, Uchis first garnered attention with her mixtape Drunken Bubble in 2012, which she wrote and recorded on her laptop the night before uploading it to DatPiff. Despite her inmigrant’s family condemning her career choice, she’s since become a Billboard Latin Music Award winner, toured all over the world, and collaborated with major artists like SZA, Gorillaz, Jorja Smith, Diplo, Major Lazer, and Snoop Dogg. Her festival sets always gather devoted throngs, everywhere from Tropicalia and Governors Ball to Austin City Limits, and Lollapalooza. Uchis’ Coachella headlining show this April was even one of the event’s top-billed performances.

Image Credits: Daniel Sannwald

Uchis loves to explore the diaspora and female archetypes she was raised with through her art. In a blend of Spanish and English, the singer constantly reconceptualising what it means to be a Latinx woman through spirituality and stereotypes. Whether it’s via deities like Isis and Aphrodite or characters like the red-lipped femme fatale and the innocent woodland fairy, her transcending sound inspires us to embrace our divine femininity. The singer’s last exploration of love and womanhood, Red Moon In Venus, became her first Top 10 charting album and was featured in Best of 2023 lists from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Complex, and more. This combined with her signature silky vocals and soft melodies made her 2021 single ‘Telepatía’ become Billboard Hot 100’s longest-running Spanish song by a solo act this decade with a 23-week streak.

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At 29 years old, Kali Uchis has solidified herself as the sensual Latinx mother of R&B and soul. Orquídeas promises a new side of her– a fantasy we for one can’t wait to hear.

You can pre-save the album here:

https://kaliuchis.lnk.to/OrquideasPR

_{Words By Alexia De Las Haras}

_{^{Header Image By Daniel Sannwald}}

The post Kali Uchis Announces The Release Of Her Long-Awaited Fourth Album appeared first on Voir Fashion.

With Lycorises Reverie, Xin Lue turns her famed blend of art and science to create a digital masterpiece. With media artist and scientist Nan Zhao, the 30 under 30 Asia member invites guests into a conscious-bending garden in different dimensions (with hallucinogen music to match). Journeying through volcanos, cyberspace, and alien deserts, viewers are inspired to probe the complexities and unfolding of our lives- our constant change and growth.

For The Dalmore, this embrace of the passage of time is reflected through their whisky-making process. 184 years after its founding, the Scottish distillery has turned its world-renowned mastery, excellence, and craftsmanship to the art world. For emerging creative Lue, she honors the single-malt craft through the color palette. ‘We drew from the colors, especially the amber tones in The Dalmore’, she said to Arnet. ‘I was really inspired by fermentation, this color change in the microbes from green to yellow as they are slowly dying. We incorporated that color change in the show as part of the story, when the flowers are going through a transitional rebirthing process.’

This cutting-edge show will only last until the 8th of October, so be sure to drop by 161-197 Oxford Street if you’re craving a little art– or a lot of whisky.

_{Words By Alexia De Las Heras}

_{Header Image Xin Liu}

The post Art And Whisky Meet In A Brand New Digital Immersive Experience appeared first on Voir Fashion.

The album, which was released on the 27^th January, displays a welcome departure from Lil Yachty’s established trap sound and moves towards soulful neo-psychedelia. Praise for the evolution has poured in from all corners of the music sphere with Clash Magazine, Rolling Stone, social media, and even Grammy-winning musician Questlove hyping up the rapper.

Miles Parks McCollum, the rapper known as Lil Yachty and sometimes as Lil Boat, is from Georgia. Dropping out of Alabama State University in 2015 to pursue his rap career, he first gained recognition shortly after when his singles ‘One Night’ and ‘Minnesota’ from his debut EP exploded on the internet. He managed to seat himself in the prime position for fame as the world became engrossed in SoundCloud and “mumble” rap stars such as Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, Lil Uzi Vert, and Juice Wrld. The number of streams of ‘iSpy’, the Kyle track he featured on in 2016, displays his popularity with its 480M views on YouTube. With collabs with Migos, Young Thug, Gucci Man, Lil Baby, Offset, Cardi B, Wiz Khalifa, Drake, DaBaby, Kodak Black, and Diplo there’s no doubt of Lil Yachty’s impact.

Over the last few years, the SoundCloud rap style has taken a backseat with the revival of neo-soul, R&B, and psychedelia triggered by the likes of Danger Mouse & Black Thought with their warm mellow production, Silk Sonic and their soulful lush melodies, and Tame Impala’s trancey sound. In a talk before his album release, which Yachty shared on his Instagram, he told the crowd, “This album is so special and dear to me. I think I created it just because I really wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. Not just some SoundCloud rapper. Not just some mumble rapper. Not just some guy who made one hit. I wanted to be taken serious because music is everything to me. I respect all walks of music, not just rap and hip hop. Everything.”

“I really wanted to be taken seriously as an artist”

Lil Yachty

The psychedelic genre allows Yachty to explore and experiment with a new direction to the fullest ability. With the help of many of the leading alternative producers and songwriters such as the slacker rock SoundCloud famed Alex G, beloved indie rock hero Mac Demarco, the bold electropop duo Magdalena Bay, MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser, and Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberley, the rapper has developed an unconventional sound through the amalgamation his soft trap vocals with wavy instrumentals.

The opening track ‘the BLACK seminole’ sets the listener on a voyage with its rolling bassline, tight jazzy drumbeats, and echoey guitar solo. Yachty lets us know he’s not playing anymore drolling in his autotuned vocals, “No time to joke around, the kid is now a man” before Diana Gordon ends the track with some impressive cries which wouldn’t be amiss on Pink Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon. At times the instrumentals sound otherworldly and alien like on ‘the ride-’ with the contrast between the deep distorted bass and the high-pitched electronic synths. One of the standouts on the album is ‘running out of time’ where the groovy slow instrumentals and Lil Yachty’s laidback delivery juxtapose the lyrics that lament the loss of a relationship. Another surprise comes with the track ‘pRETTY’ in which Lil Yachty taps into his feminine side singing, “I am so damn pretty” and “I am too sexy”. He even pops a “bestie” in there which is guaranteed to make you smile. Mac Demarco and Alex G team up to provide the background instrumentals to Lil Yachty’s moving monologue about overcoming frustrations on ‘:(failure:)’. On ‘THE zone~’ Lil Yachty contemplates his career and his new direction pleading, “I’m so far gone/Can you take me back home?”, whilst guitars fuzz in the background. The song flows into ‘WE SAW THE SUN’ where Yachty’s anxieties are abated temporarily by his kaleidoscope-like visions. The song ends with a smooth sample from adored painter Bob Ross. Diana Ross takes centre stage on the impossibly mellow number ‘drive ME crazy!’. ‘sAy sOMETHINg’ features cascading autotuned vocals from Lil Yachty resulting in an earworm you won’t be able to – or want to – shake from your head. The album ends with ‘REACH FOR THE SUNSHINE’ a track that crackles with different elements trying to grasp the audience’ attention and Lil Yachty’s demonic cackles. For a nearly hour-long album, it’s impressive that there isn’t a single skippable song in sight

A music video for ‘SAy SOMETHINg’ was released on the same day as the album. Rich warm reds fill the shots and the dreamy transitions between Lil Yachty and his girlfriend (played by the gorgeous Anok Yai) talking in a plush dinner to the couple cruising around in a vintage car create a surreal feeling. The video takes an ominous turn after Yachty tells his girlfriend he loves her much too early – they’ve only been dating for two weeks! A waitress appears with an uncanny valley smile plastered on her face (similar to the album’s Aphex Twin-esque AI-generated album cover), his girlfriend becomes mouth-less before the table stretches drifting her away from him, and the baby he imagines them having pops into dust along with his love. The style in the video is impeccable with Yai dressed in a boxy leather jacket with glittering gold chain earrings before changing into a luminous white fur coat. Lil Yachty’s best fit is a sequined red and white shirt paired with baggy ripped light wash jeans and 70s orange square shades. Crowns & Owls, who have worked with the artists Slowthai, Skepta, and PinkPantheress as well as brands Nike and Diesel, direct the video.

The transition is such a surprise to fans, particularly because of Lil Yachty’s recent success with trap single ‘Poland’, which was released last year and went viral on TikTok. Despite the initial shock, we are delighted that Lil Yachty’s experimentations have resulted in the fun out-there hallucinatory sounds of Let’s Start Here and we can’t wait to see where Lil Yachty’s journey takes him next.

Words By: Molly Sutherland

_{^{Header Image: Lil Yachty, sAy sOMETHINg Music Video}}

The post *Add To Favourites* Lil Yachty’s New Album ‘Let’s Start Here’ appeared first on Voir Fashion.

A Denim Dream

No need to wonder about what you will be dreaming about tonight after seeing SZA in her denim getup. It is sparkly, it is denim, it is everything we love about the noughties. She gives the look a twist by matching the denim two-piece with a denim cap- her signature style. It is a sexy, fierce look from SZA and we give it a ten!

£ 219

KENZO Denim Baker Boy Hat

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£ 234

Amir Slama Denim Bikini Set

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£ 327.67

Knorts Crocodile Skin Mini Shorts

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£ 627

Paris Texas Snakeskin-effect Platform Pumps

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£ 304

Vetements Crystal Heart Necklace

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£ 114

Numbering Tennis Bracelet

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£ 475

Bleue Turnham Silver & Blue Window Box Ring

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£ 198

Bleue Burnham Silver & Blue Signet Ring

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Ring Me Up

SZA shows off her gorgeous figure in the gorgeous Louisa Ballou design. Blooming beautiful, as inspiration for the collection comes from her paintings of flowers in bloom. The rings which are carefully and manipulatively placed on SZA’s dress are a key telltale it is a Louisa Ballou design. In love with the designs and in the future, we hope to see SZA in similar fits. No blue feelings attached to this look.

£ 203

Louisa Ballou Black & Blue Sex Wax Dress

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£ 396

Completedworks Gold Pearl Glitch Necklace

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£ 195

Alighieri Gold ‘The Craters We Know’ Necklace

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£ 175

Harlot Hands Silver Leila Rings

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Liberate

Flawless. The long sleeve, maxi, printed dress suits SZA on another level. This picture has the power of influencing immediate search results for similar dresses. We can’t stop thinking about it, so if you are anything like us, we have attached similar products for you to browse, so you’re not wasting anytime.

£ 241

Jean Paul Gaultier Brown Tulle Turtleneck

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£ 211

Jean Paul Gaultier Brown Tulle Lounge Pants

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£ 337

Amina Muaddi Daryl Star-Pendant Anklet

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£ 96

Needles Purple Amethyst Bead Bracelet

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£ 95

Vivienne Westwood Orb Mini Necklace

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Yellow Warning

SZA’s stylist, Alejandra Hernandez, is killing it with the looks we are seeing SZA in. As we have said, SZA is a sorcerer for turning casual fits into iconic looks. A look very on brand for the singer, the cut-away body suit paired with the bright trousers and trainers, works. 

£ 56

Marieyat Black Qi Bodysuit

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£ 69.62

Namilia Yellow Moto Mesh Pants

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£ 97.16

Nike Air VaporMax 97 Cream

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£ 225

Alighieri Gold ‘The Medium Leone’ Necklace

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£ 270

Sophie Buhai gold Classic Delicate Chain Bracelet

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The Woman In Black

SZA is a picture of perfection in the elegant black gown. A style that will never go out of fashion and keep producing amazing reactions. In her iconic style, the dress of course, features cuts. With an asymmetrical shape cut from the torso of the dress and a high leg slit, it adds a sensual element to the classic style.

£ 65

Club L London Until Dawn Black One Shoulder Front Cut Out Maxi Dress

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£ 985

Sophie Buhai Silver Egg Pendant Necklace

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£ 205

Tom Wood Silver Cable Bracelet

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£ 415

BOTTEGA VENETA Silver Bolt Ring

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£ 293

APM MONACO Triple Band Rings

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£ 3190

La Maison Couture The Vault 15 Moon Orb Ring

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The Little Mesmerize

Everything about this look is giving Ariel aesthetic, and we are not complaining. The ‘Kill Bill’ singer places as much care into her hairstyles as she does her fashion. We loved the red hair and think her choice to wear a delicate teal satin dress was a marvelous idea- our very own Disney Princess.

£ 36.90

Windsor Day Glow Satin A-Line Dress

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£ 195

Malachite Beaded Bracelet

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£ 250

The Alkemistry Cinta 18ct Yellow Gold and Goldstone Beaded Bracelet

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Blazer Boss

We shouldn’t be shocked by this point, but it is incredible how many styles SZA can pull off. The androgenous suit look is a big yes from us. The oversized boxy blazer remains symbolic of women’s empowerment as women adopted styles in menswear. Very fitting for the feminist icon and she creates a level of sex appeal by wearing nothing underneath. 

£ 953

Versace Shoulder Pads Logo Print Blazer

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£ 1,049

Versace Logo Pinstripe Trousers

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£ 189

Dr Martens Jadon Black Platform Boots

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£ 355

Tom Wood Silver Cushion Ring

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Double Trouble

Glitzy glam for the single released with Kali Uchis. The almost matching outfits are memorable looks for both singers and we hope remain as iconic as they do now. Maybe not for your everyday, but certainly top tier outfit inspiration which we could not miss out.

£ 25.99

ASYOU Black Sequin Halter Neck Top

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£ 222

Lesugiatelier Black Sequin Leggings

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£ 475

Gucci Long Lace Gloves

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£ 232

Emanuele Bicocchi Coin Cross Gold-Tone Necklace

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_{Words By Erin Wilson}

^{Graphics By Mia Washbrook}

The post We Are Officially SZA Obsessed appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Now she has teamed up with the trip-hop inspired music producer from Leeds, Nightmares on Wax, to create a totally fresh track: ‘Top Steppa V2’. The song, originally released on Greentea Peng’s mixtape GREENZONE 108 back in September last year, has been given a new reggae groove with dubbed-out synths and a heavy entrancing bassline that will rock you to your core below Greentea Peng’s lush spaced-out vocals. 

George Evelyn started Nightmares on Wax in the late 80s crafting a unique sound of jazz, reggae, and trip-hop. Since then, he has released an impressive eight studio albums under the name. His love of music began at a young age when his father and sister introduced him to the likes of Quincy Jones and Curtis Mayfield.

This is not the first time the pair have worked together with Greentea featuring on Nightmares On Wax’s 2021 album Shout Out! To Freedom. Greentea Peng, born Aria Wells, said, “It was really nice working with Nightmares on Wax, a dear friend of mine and incredible musician to retwist Top Steppa and turn it into a completely new track. Big Love!”. Nightmares On Wax also said he totally connects with the energy Greentea Peng shares and through vibing he was able to tap into the iconic British expression of 90’s hip hop & 70’s roots reggae with a futuristic electronic twist that the song contains.

The mixtape GREENZONE 108 is not one to miss out on either. The 10 tracks are a fresh take on the dub genre mixing trip-hop sounds, with hip-hop beats and soulful vocals. Greentea Peng collaborated with several heavyweights in the music world including hip-hop producer Nat Powers, MJ Cole producer of ‘Bassline Junkie’, and St Francis Hotel who are frequent collaborators of Danger Mouse and Inflo.

GREENZONE 108 follows Greentea Peng’s debut album Man Made released in 2021 which is the ultimate vibe album. At 18 tracks long it’s the perfect length to chill to whilst you let the warm beats heal your soul – the album was even recorded at 432 Hz frequency to vibrate healing energy!

Last year Greentea Peng made her Glastonbury debut with her beloved band The Seng Seng Family giving a joyous performance. As her music is the perfect summer festival tunes we hope to catch her on the festival circuit at some point this year. Until then we’ll have ‘Top Steppa V2’ on repeat.

_{Words By Molly Sutherland}

^{Header Image Graphics By Mia Washbrook}

The post You’ll Totally Vibe With Greentea Peng And Nightmare On Wax’s Collaboration ‘Top Step V2’ appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Her new album continually sits at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, holding its position for three weeks already as the top new album release. She also sits in the second spot for Billboard’s Artist 100 and is noted as having the hottest R&B song at the moment. Truly a testament to her phenomenally poetic lyricisms and industry-norm subversions.  

SOS assumedly sits within the landscape as an R&B/alt R&B album, however, SZA’s influences prove to stem from a variety of genres making the album an eclectic blend of sounds – with songs rooted in pop punk, rap and ballad-like pop music. 

Her confessional lyrics and soulful initiative to the genre have made SOS a prolific album of 2022 despite its late release in the year. 

SZA tells the Rolling Stones in a podcast interview for Rolling Stone Music Now that she was pejoratively apprehensive to release her album to the public, with fears in the reception of her as an artist – as a non-conformist creator in a rapid-fire strictly-traditional industry. 

Her fears can ultimately be debunked in the actuality of the reception of the album. Songs like ‘Kill Bill’ currently sit at around 150 million streams on Spotify, despite only being out since December. Surely this is indication enough that public appraisal was indeed laudatory?

The reverent adoration for her new album has virally sent it to platforms like TikTok, with snippets from her newly released songs as the backing to transitional trends/ and emerging new lyric-related trends, e.g. ‘Good Days’, ‘I Hate U’ and ‘Kill Bill’ have all generated a mass hype on the platform. It is apparent that the emotion behind the lyrics “I might kill my ex, not the best idea, his new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here” within ‘Kill Bill’ has prompted a trend in which people lip sync to the audio. The viral capabilities of platforms like TikTok have meant the continual relevance of SZA’s album in the charts. 

A viral video that surfaced recently was a TikTok vox pop with an elderly woman in the subway somewhere in the US, she is asked to name her favourite new album and she speaks fondly of SOS and specifically the heart-wrenching meaning behind SZA’s song ‘Kill Bill’ – this generated a lot of traction on TikTok sparking positive comments of the community surrounding the new release. 

Likewise, raking in around 65k views on TikTok, the artist who animated SZAs album art for alternate cover renditions went viral time lapsing his creative process. 

Her inspiration for the album has many roots. Partially fuelled by her involvement with public ridicule but also through motifs of lost love. It is prolific to note that she sits as a woman of colour within a light-skin masculine-dominated genre and thus this album is a metaphorical departure from the “nice girl” archetype that is assumed of her. 

Following the release of her album, SZA is set to embark on her first North American arena tour, in February of this year. 

The artist has stated that this tour is her way of giving her audience a show that they deserve, whether that means playing a setlist of unreleased songs they’ve heard snippets of on Twitter or deep cuts of released songs. This 2023 tour is SZA’s method of appreciation after the long-anticipated (five years!) wait from her loyal fanbase. Are you as excited as we are to see what she does with the extended album version?

_{Words By Hannah Doherty}

^{Header Image : @sza Instagram}

The post ‘SOS’! SZA Is Killing It With Her Third Week Atop The Billboard 200 appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, better known as Little Simz, is angry and she refuses to bottle it up anymore. Instead, she’s channelled it into her brilliant fifth studio album NO THANK YOU masterfully lifting influences from R&B, gospel, soul, funk, reggae and blues to create a thoughtful album packed with interesting sounds. The album was released last year on the 12^th December after being announced only the week prior. Despite its late release some critics have dubbed it the album of 2022 – and we can see why.

The leading lady in hip hop has been at the top of her game for some time now. Her 3^rd album GREY Area released in 2019 was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and won Best Album at the Ivor Novello Awards and at the NME awards. Only two years ago she released her fourth studio album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert winning her the Mercury Prize in 2022 alongside huge praise from fans and critics alike. Despite her climbing success Simz felt pain and frustration after she had to pull her North American tour last year. As an independent artist the financial cost of the tour would have left her high and dry. 

NO THANK YOU, released on the independent label Forever Living Originals, how artists, especially artists of colour, often do not receive the salary or respect they deserve. Little Simz speaks out against this in a powerful way combing soulful instrumentals with bitingly clever lyrics to create a politically charged masterpiece that is as impactful as it is a joy to listen to. ‘Never cared about being immortalised’ is the opening line on the album and sets the tone for the whole album – Simz isn’t after fame or money she wants to make change through her music and bring joy to her listeners. 

On the opener ‘Angel’ Simz discusses stardom and how labels ‘don’t care if your mental is on the brink of somethin’ dark/As long as you’re cuttin’ somebody’s payslip’. The expert sampling of vocals to create an angelic sound is just what we’d expect from Simz’s long-time collaborator and childhood friend Inflo. Cleo Sol, who frequently sings back up and the chorus over the album, adds a soothing juxtaposition to Little Simz’s cool flow. The second track ‘Gorilla’ begins with an orchestral flare and incorporates glorious old school hip-hop beats with a sample from Jurassic 5 along with an ethereal gospel chorus. Simz oozes triumph and powerful as she delivers the line ‘rap’s last hope and the faith, I’m restorin’’. ‘Silhouette’ maintains the gospel vibes with soft choral oohs contrasting Simz anxious flows about persevering despite doubting herself – in the end she remains positive telling those who try to wrong her ‘your insecurity won’t break me down’. 

Simz’s anger is evident on the double entendre titled track ‘No Merci’ where she raps ‘You know that I’m unapologetically black’ to the gracefully mixed electronic beats that will make you want to move. The living West African drumbeats on the start of ‘X’ creates a startling contrast between the relaxed outro of the previous track. On ‘X’ Little Simz highlights the generational trauma of black people that will never leave despite a part of the community being able to achieve success. ‘Heart on Fire’ also continues the theme of artists being exploited with the punching refrain ‘My life is a blessing/ But it comes with the stresses’. ‘Broken’ is one of the most honest songs on the album with the falsetto chorus repeating ‘when you feel you’re broken and cannot fix it’ creating a trance-like drive whilst Simz raps about the struggles of trying to fix a broken system. The gentle instrumental towards the end of the song promises a future of hope and peace.

In the last three songs on the album have a lighter tone than the previous. The short but sweet ‘Sideways’ cleverly samples sped up vocals to create an enticing beat with a vintage sound. ‘Who Even Cares’ is almost psychedelic like the track has been mixed underwater. It displays Simz softer side with Cleo’s gorgeous chorus meshing with Simz’s laidback verse. The autotune on Simz’s vocals gives a relaxed feeling to the number – this will be the perfect summertime track for laying around in the park or on the beach on a hot day. The final track ‘Control’ is a stripped back piano number featuring only Simz’s rapping and a male gospel singer that tells a love story. It’s a charming ending to an album that gives its listener a lot to think on. 

Though Simz flits between moods of feeling comfortable in her artistry and anger caused by the struggles of being a black artist in a ruthless industry by the end of NO THANK YOU she emerges victorious having produced a superb hip-hop album that will push forward the music industry to change and influence other artists to speak out against injustice. We know that we’ll have these songs on repeat throughout the year.

_{Words By Molly Sutherland}

^{Header Image : @littlesimz Instagram}

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