The 14-tracked album was released on the 27^th January and includes the five strong singles ‘Million Dollar Baby’, ‘Weapons’, ‘Dancing’s Done’, ‘One of Us’, and of course the catchy lead ‘Maybe You’re the Problem’. Ava successfully tantalised us by teasing clips of tracks from the album with Instagram reels which counted down the hours until its release – now the wait is over!

Encompassing all the best parts of dance-pop, electropop, synthpop, and euro house, Ava Max has turned out a short but sweet album full of tasty treats and uplifting beats. On Diamonds & Dancefloors,Ava’s former heartbreak is evident with many of the songs detailing the events that lead to the breakdown of her relationship. However, as the title implies from her sorrow, she has emerged shining and more powerful and ready with the hits that we can tear up the dancefloor to. Read our run-through of what you can expect from this whirlwind pop record.

Starting with a bang, the album begins with the already popular single ‘Million Dollar Baby’, which has 27M views on YouTube and has charted in multiple countries worldwide. Ava Max sings about herself in third person, letting us know that despite her heartbreak “She’s comin’ back to life” and will turn “tears to diamonds”. With its infectious club beat it’s the song that will mend the broken heart and get you up and dancing again.

Ava plays the femme fatale in the playful ‘Sleepwalker’ in which she warns the man that’s pursuing her that she’ll make him obsessed with her. With a distinctly 80s-inspired synth solo and unforgettable chorus, it’s a bop for certain. We can see why Ava called in one of her favourites on the album in an interview with Apple Music.

On the sugary ‘Maybe You’re the Problem’, which peaked at number 83 on the UK Singles chart, Max has had it with her ex-boyfriend who always blames her for their fights. In this exhilarating (and relatable) song she lets off steam and tells him to “Take your little finger and just point it in the mirror/Baby, maybe you’re the problem” and we’re singing along with her.

 ‘Ghost’ is a euro-house banger that you can expect to hear in the club soon. Ava stresses over bumping into her ex and imagines him following her around town. Despite its anxious lyrics it’s another track that’ll have you on the dancefloor.

Ava refuses to compete with her man’s ex in the electro track ‘Hold Up (Wait A Minute)’ and tells him “Bye, bye, I don’t need your lyin” when she catches him messaging someone else. With the snappy vocalisations and pounding synths it’s a song we won’t be forgetting soon.

The third single from the album ‘Weapons’ is another standout bop from the pop singer with Ava pleading with someone to stop trying to hurt her with their words because it’s useless telling them “My love is gonna drown you out”. Fans are divided as to whether the lyrics are directed at a lover or the online hate that celebrities receive daily. Either way the lines “You wanna fight? Do you wanna dance?/ ‘Cause tonight might be the only chance” have us hooked.

The titular track is another house track that has us gripped with its thumping beat and glam instrumentals. Written during the pandemic, Max told Apple Music, “The song is really talking about wanting to be on the dance floor, not in my living room, watching another TV show during the pandemic. I wished the world would open. I wanted to be covered in glitter and diamonds on the dance floor”. Now that the floor is once again ready to be boogied on we’re looking forward to dancing to this one.

One of our favourites on the LP is the bassy ‘In The Dark’ which features Ava sweetly questioning why her guy only sees her at night. With twinkling synths, popping instrumentals, and classic DnB-influenced breaks we can’t get enough of it.

‘Turn of the Lights’ is a blissful disco track perfect for when you’re feeling on cloud nine and need something with a great build to shimmy to.

The tenth track ‘One of Us’ tells the story of a toxic ex who is indifferent to his relationship with the gorgeous pop singer. Ava called it “the most intense song I’ve ever written, recorded, and probably will perform” in an interview with Apple Music. Fittingly the visualiser for ‘One of Us’, released alongside the album, displays Ava buried six feet deep in a gorgeous lace wedding dress complete with white gloves and a veil. Lighting creates a strobe effect on the singer as she pours her heart out to the heartbreak anthem. The blonde bride is then adorned with rose petals by several gothic widowing red-haired versions of herself wearing very Morticia Adams gowns.

Cutting off a relationship is one thing but as Ava knows getting over a guy is another. In ‘Get Out of My Head’ she struggles to move on from her ex whilst referencing the 90s flick starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, I Know What You Did Last Summer. Its repetitive beat will have even the saddest of girlies dancing along.

In the nocturnal cool ‘Cold As Ice’ Max takes back the power by warning her potential suitor that he is headed for danger and flashes us back to the ‘Sweet but Psycho’ days with the line “I’m just a little bit out of my mind”. We’re loving the 80s-inspired moody synth.

The penultimate track ‘Last Night On Earth’ sounds futuristic and retro at the same time due to the nostalgic synths meshing with Max’s modern vocal style. Taking inspiration from apocalyptic films it’s giving us the energy for a few more dances before we head home for the night. Appropriately, ‘Dancing’s Done’ is the closer to the album. Sexy, dark, and captivating – Ava asks us what our plans are for the rest of the night. Listening to the album again, duh!

Words By: Molly Sutherland
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The post Ava Max’s New Album Reminds Us, We’re Diamonds & We Deserve Better appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Doechii

If you haven’t yet heard of the alt hip-hop artist Doechii that’s all about to change. The 24-year-old from Tampa, Florida has burst onto the scene and gained attention with her fast-paced energetic rapping and smooth delivery. It’s easy to see why she achieved viral success on TikTok back in 2021 with the vibrant single ‘Yucky Blucky Fruitcake’ which now has over 3.4M views on YouTube.

In the lead single, released on Doechii’s self-funded EP Oh the Places You’ll Go…, she cleverly weaves references to her childhood, with lyrics on silly bandz and Junie B Jones and Narnia, to create a fresh sound that will bring all girlies that grew up in Y2K era nostalgia.

Doechii, whose real name is Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, won over fans after her song ‘I Told Em’ was used in the trailer for Jordan Peele’s new spooky animated film Wendell & Wild in 2022. The artist produced an anthem for bad bitches when she collaborated with American rap star Rico Nasty on ‘Swap Bitches’ released back in August on her EP She / Her / Black Bitch. The EP also featured the amazing ‘Persuasive’ featuring our modern R&B hero SZA. Doechii served us fierce looks with stunning pops of colour in the video for the song. Try not to dance along challenge for sure. Fans of Doja Cat and SZA will hard fall for Doechii’s creative tracks in 2023.

Yunè Pinku

If chilled-out ethereal alt-pop is your thing, make sure not to miss out on Yunè Pinku’s music in 2023. The Irish-Malaysian producer, singer, and songwriter is one of the most exciting musicians on the scene right now giving us all the dance beats we crave.

Asha Yunè’s, better known by her stage name Yunè Pinku, EP Bluff released in April 2022 combines hazy moody electronic beats with stunning vocals. Her nonchalant delivery makes all her songs feel cool and oh-so captivating. She flew onto electropop fan’s radars after she collaborated with rising Australian dance star Logic1000 on breakout hit ‘What You Like’ back in 2021.

Pinku’s year started off with a bang when she was featured on Radio 6 sharing a mix for American DJ The Blessed Madonna on New Year’s Day. She’s also received extensive radio support from the likes of big names such as Pete Tong, Giles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Danny Howard, and Clara Amfo. The 20-year-old from London continues to turn heads featuring on NME’s Radar list last year and on the cover of Interlope magazine this month.  With her long black hair and black eye-lined lids, Pinku will give you your edgy gothic fix. All fans of Grimes will adore her music, especially the light electronic single ‘Fai Fighter’ from 2022. Add her music to your playlist to secure the perfect after-party vibes.

FLO

R&B fans everywhere should be paying attention to the British girl group FLO. The group is making headlines after being the first all-female group to win the Artist to Watch award at the 2022 Guap Gala, which took place at the Natural History Museum in London.

FLO, comprising of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, was formed in 2019. Quaresma and Downer met studying at Sylvia Young Theatre School and discovered Douglas from her singing videos on Instagram. The ladies are already making big waves in the music scene having made their international television debut performing ‘Cardboard Box’ on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and their UK TV debut on Later… With Jools Holland. The song, praised by the likes of Missy Elliott, is the opening track on the London group’s debut EP The Lead, which came out in July. They wrote it with singer, writer, and esteemed producer MNEK. ‘Cardboard Box’ has reached social media success with over 5.5M views on YouTube. It’s an instant modern R&B classic reminiscent of TLC and Destiny’s Child that you and you’ll besties will love singing along to. In the video, the girls rock Y2K-inspired looks complete with the bedazzled flip phones, which you’ll want to steal. Each member brings their own unique flavour and together they sound so in sync. The song ‘Summertime’ off the EP should definitely have a spot on your playlist next summer.

XG

This next group will satisfy your need for K-pop in 2023. XG is a Japanese girl group based in South Korea who are already gaining a huge following in the K-pop community due to its tight, distinct, and chic style. Their name stands for Xtraordinary Girls and accurately describes the group who are pros in singing, dancing, and rapping with all seven members – Cocona, Maya, Harvey, Juria, Hinata, Chisa, and leader Jurin – bringing something special to the table. The group strives to empower young people all over the world with their fresh performances.

Youngest members Cocona and Maya are an inspiration to young people for sure being only 17 and already making their mark on the music scene. Their debut single ‘Tippy Toes’ was released in March 2022 and since then they have released the single ‘MASCARA’ which has over 36M views on YouTube. The single is an infectious pop masterpiece sang and rapped in English that even non-Kpop fans will love. Citing Lauryn Hill as one of their influences, their ability to stretch beyond genres and take inspiration from every corner of music is what makes them so enthralling. Dangerously cool with sleek eye-catching costumes, great flows, and flawless moves these girls are on track to be big stars.

Eyelar

Having worked with the likes of Demi Lovato on ‘Anyone’, Little Mix on ‘Told You So’, Charli XCX on ‘After the After Party’, Camilla Cabello on ‘Scar Tissue’, and with Bastille, Eyelar has already displayed her exceptional craft as a songwriter. Eyelar’s passion for music started at an early age and at only at 18 she made the semi-finals of The Voice of Holland.

Now the Iranian-Dutch singer Eyelar Mirzazadeh is stepping into the limelight and becoming the pop star she was born to be. She has gained support from BBC Radio 1 with Mollie King including her single ‘til you hate me’ in her Future Pop anthems and MTV has named her as one of their Push Artists. She also toured with exciting newcomer UPSAHL (also on our list!) in 2022 as well as previously with the singer-songwriter L Devine. In ‘till you hate me’, which was released in September, she meditates on the anxiety that comes with falling in love displaying soft vulnerability as well as her rage and grungey side in the video. Eyelar creates the perfect angst-filled love songs for belting out into your hairbrush post-breakup. Fans of Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodriguez should absolutely check her out. We can’t wait to see what 2023 holds for her.

French The Kid

French The Kid seized our respect with his viral Daily Duppy video that stands at 20M views. The rising bi-lingual rapper, born in Harold Hill, London, and currently based in Essex, exhibits his extraordinary talent by smoothing transitioning from rapping in English to French in a blasé manner. French moved to both France and Australia as a child and moved back to England in his teens.

Praised by NME and GRM Daily for the openness about his mental health struggles in his lyrics French The Kid’s honesty has captivated rap fans around the globe. He’s worked with big names such as the Bad Boy Chiller Crew and Jaykae already and we’re sure that the new year will promise more sick collabs. His debut album Never Been Ordinary dropped last April to the delight of his already growing fanbase and included such standouts as ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ which has 5.7M views on YouTube and the absolute banger ‘Neverland’. Fans of Central Cee will be crazy for this new star in UK rap. With new music on the way, we are buzzed to hear more from French The Kid in the new year.

UPSAHL

Taylor Cameron Upsahl, better known as UPSAHL, is the quirky red-haired pop star you need in your playlists next year. The electropop artist from Phoenix, Arizona started playing the piano and guitar at just 5 years old and now has accumulated almost 500 million combined streams. She has caught the media’s attention with NME, The Line of Best Fit, Upset, Dork, Billboard, BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, and Clara Amfo all being fans of her work. Over the years, UPSAHL has taken stages all over the world, supporting acts including Yungblud, PVRIS, BROODS, Olivia O’Brien, and Fletcher. She’s an experienced songwriter, as evident from the well-crafted lyrics in her music, and she has worked with pop royalty on such hits as Madison Beer’s ‘BOYSHIT’ , Little Mix’s ‘Kiss Me (Uh Oh)’, and Dua Lipa’s ‘Good in Bed’. Her infectious single from 2019 ‘Drugs’ trended at number 1 and was sampled for Linkin Park’s Mike Shinodah’s single ‘Happy Endings’.

In December she released her much anticipated EP Sagittarius featuring the single ‘Into My Body’. With its driving beat and uplifting lyrics, it’s the ultimate confidence boost to start 2023 the right way. You’ll find yourself playing it over and over before you know it. In her softer intimate ballad ‘Ansty’ UPSAHL opens up about the physical effects of anxiety and wanting to change your life but not knowing how to start. Set to an acoustic accompaniment and featuring a stunning vocal performance it displays a different side to the singer that we love to see.

COBRAH

Dark, edgy, sleek, and PVC-clad– COBRAH is the future-facing electro artist, songwriter, and producer paving a new way in the alt-music scene. The self-made artist from Gothenburg is now based in Stockholm and turning heads everywhere she goes with her outrageously good experimental electronic sound.

The sex-positive queer artist whose real name is Clara Blom Christensen releases music on her own label GAGBALL records. She’s supported Charli XCX several times over the last few years and has a fan in the star Christina Aguilera! Her self-titled EP COBRAH was released in 2021 and featured singles, ‘Good Puss’, ‘Dip n Dip’, and ‘Debut’. Recently she’s collaborated with producer and DJ Chris Lorenzo on the single ‘Mami’. The song is an unstoppable force with its repetitive lyrics, spikey driving beat, warm steel drums, and insane drop. In the video to her single ‘BRAND NEW BITCH’, which came out in September 2022, COBRAH serves us sexy alien looks with her long blonde braids, black contacts, knife-like pointy nails, and a lot of goo! The dominatrix-esque soon-to-be queen of the scene makes trancey tracks for all you club lovers out there. Spice up your new year by adding her irresistible bops to your mix.

Talia Goddess

Meet Talia Goddess the 19-year-old with Guyanese and British roots from Brooklyn, New York who’s bringing a fresh flare to R&B. Merging her many talents as a self-taught singer-songwriter, rapper, producer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and model she’s bringing her A game and inspiring other creatives to take a leap forward. Talia has been producing her own music since she was 9 years old and now has her own record label and creative agency TRANCE. She’s also partnered with some of the biggest names such as Vogue, Refinery29, Tommy Hilfiger, Supreme, i-D, and Converse. Fans of Little Simz will enjoy her debut EP Poster Girl released in late 2021. Full of melodic chilled-out R&B and velvety rap verses the EP demonstrates why Talia Goddess is a rising star. The dance single ‘RAGGA’ which came out in August will hype you up for the club during pre-drinks with your friends.

Her latest single ‘Everyone Loves a Winner’ which came out in September is another confidence-boosting banger. The video shows Talia embodying the definition of cool girl style dressed in boxing gear whilst she raps about calling the shots and not caring what others think. She recently gave a stellar performance of the track on the popular Colours YouTube channel, which esteemed artists such as Shygirl and FKA Twigs has performed on before, cementing her as one to watch out for. With her super unique flow and lots of swagger, she’s giving us the hot girl energy we need for 2023.

GloRilla

Tik Tok brought the Memphis-born bad bitch rapper GloRilla to our attention back in April with the song ‘F.N.F. (Let’s Go)’ featuring Hitkidd where it went viral and launched the dance #FNFChallenge. The song got her nominated for Best Rap performance at the Grammys in 2022 and currently has over 52M views on YouTube. With 2.7M followers on Instagram and a BET hip hop award 2022 nomination under her belt it’s fair to say that GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Hallelujah Woods, is already dominating the rap game.

GloRilla started rapping at 16 years old and has honed the deep-voiced rapping style that makes her instantly recognisable. She dropped her label debut EP Anyways, Life’s Great… inNovember featuring the singles ‘Tomorrow 2’, ‘Blessed’, and ‘Quick Nut’. ‘Tomorrow 2’ gained GloRilla her first Billboard Top 10 record and debuted at No.1 on Apple Music, trended No.1 on YouTube, and landed at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song features an insane verse from pro rapper Cardi B whose carefree style compliments GloRilla’s so well. The video shows Cardi and GloRilla partying and having fun and those good vibes are catching. GloRilla definitely makes tunes you’ll want to add to your mix and show your girlfriends.

Chinese Kitty

Looking for the next banger? Chinese Kitty will deliver. Taylor Hing, who’s better known as Chinese Kitty, is a Chinese-Guyanese rapper, reality TV star, model, socialite, and brand ambassador from Queens, New York currently based in Miami. Reality TV avids may remember her from her role in the supporting cast of the show Love & Hip Hop: Miami in which her mother Chinese Nicky starred. Chinese Kitty has now turned to make East Coast hip hop for the girlies who want to get down. With 3.8M followers on Instagram, Chinese Kitty is no little name and her music has created quite the buzz. She released her first album Kitty Bandz back in 2019 and her second SMD in 2021. SMD included the track ‘LIL BITCH’ featuring Fivio Foreign and French Montana which gained a lot of love from fans of the artists. In her latest single ‘Attitude’, which came out last Summer, Chinese Kitty serves fiery verse after fiery verse showing that she is not one to take lightly. Naughty, confident, fun, and flirty – Chinese Kitty has the it factor that will lead to her success next year and beyond.

Ptazeta

Queer artist Ptazeta is smashing heteronormative ideology and taking steps forwards toward normalising queer relationships in pop and rap music. The 24-year-old artist, born Zuleima del Pino Gonzalez, advocates for self-love and acceptance in her music – it’s easy to see why the charismatic artist was dubbed one of Vemo DSCVR Artists to watch in 2023. Ptazeta hails from Las Palmas Canary Islands and raps and sings in Spanish with a fast-paced intensity.

In 2022 she collaborated with producer and DJ Juacko to release her debut album The Party en la Casa. Her latest single ‘Mala Mala’, produced by Juacko, combines reggaeton beats with Ptazeta’s intoxicating rapping to bring a party song that will make you wish you were somewhere tropical. With a snake tattoo on her face, always sporting dripping streetwear and gold chains, Ptazeta’s look is distinct and gives big attitude. Those who like Bad Bunny should definitely keep sight of Ptazeta next year.

Tokischa

If you haven’t heard of Tokischa you are sure to have heard her vocals before. She has worked with Rosalía on ‘La Combi Versace’ for Rosalía’s 2022 album Motomami, which received universal acclaim and, on the track ‘LINDA’ which went viral on TikTok in 2021 and inspired over 5 different dance trends! Evidentially the pair mesh well together. But Tokischa makes deserves attention in her own right as well. The 26-year-old Dominican songwriter and rapper, whose full name is Tokischa Altagracia Peralta, has built up a fanbase already with 2M followers on Instagram. She’s a former model who was discovered by Paulus Music and was brought to the world’s attention when ‘LINDA’ went viral leading her to work with huge artists such as Madonna on her song ‘Hung Up on Tokischa’, released in September 2022.

As a sexual content creator Tokischa is very open about sex work and promotes sex positivity in the lyrics of her songs. Her latest single ‘Kilo de Amor’ featuring Nathanael Cano combines hip hop, trap, and with dembow, a genre originating from the Dominican Republic, to create a sultry mix of modern and traditional sound. The video for the single depicts Tokischa as a romantic femme fatale shooting her lover, surrounded by religious imagery, and with a heavy shimmery plum blush that gives her an edge. We love her unconventional music and style and are intrigued to see what she has in store for us in 2023!

Words By: Molly Sutherland

The post Voir’s Spotlight: Artists To Watch In 2023 appeared first on Voir Fashion.

If you were having any problems dancing on your own, no worries Dua Lipa’s new album is here and we can’t help but bop to this hypnotic beat. The new album ‘Future Nostalgia’ has secured Dua Lipa’s title as Britain’s most successful female pop star. Get ready for this female alpha to sing and dance with you through this quarantine. One of the few albums of new music out there. ‘Future Nostalgia’ has managed to generate a lot of hype especially after being leaked earlier this month and forced into an early release. Dua Lipa has proven with ‘Future Nostalgia’ that she is deserving of the excitement surrounding her artistry by producing a truly invigorating, and gripping record from start to finish and we couldn’t be more grateful. Without saying much more, let’s take a dive into our top tracks from this album. Track 2 – Don’t Start Now 9/10 The lead single, and possibly the biggest hit, from ‘Future Nostalgia’, is definitely worthy of its success. The song opens with a softer vocal enticing the listener in, before hurling them into the seductive bass of the track, once again. The stirring orchestra in the pre-chorus, rousing simplicity of the chorus and use of a broken word bridge and outro make the song exhilarating and alluring, giving the listener little choice but to at least somewhat dance along. Track 3 – Cool 8/10Opting for a more electronic opening, ‘Cool’ offers a soft, sultry summery sound. The bass in the chorus is more abrupt than in previous tracks yet still invites the listener to dance. Dua’s softer voice and playful lyrics compliment the track perfectly. “I guess I’m ready for the summer” sings Dua, and yes after listening to this song so are we. Track 4 – Physical 10/10 Physical is by far one of the best songs on this record. The heavy, futuristic yet 80s infused beat immediately electrifies the listener and the synth-heavy chorus is both thrilling and refreshing. Dua’s vocals are extremely strong on this track, possibly the best on the album, with the slightest nod to Xtina’s iconic growls and yelps. Dua is dancing the night away with the listener on the most unapologetically pop song on the album, and singing flawlessly whilst doing so.

Track 7 – Hallucinate 9/10‘Hallucinate’ offers a faster, dancier and much more disco relief to the previous slower tracks. Much like the title of the track, Dua manages to guide the listener through a gripping hallucination. During the pre-chorus, Dua’s soft vocals gradually begin to fade, beguiling the listener into the track before throwing you into an invigorating sonic whirlwind, consisting of the familiar intoxicating bassline, electric guitar and Dua’s euphoric vocals help to make the track as enthralling as it is enchanting.

Track 9 – Break My Heart 10/10 Just when you begin to think it can’t get any better, you are graced with ‘Break My Heart’. The song manages to encompass the alluring disco of ‘Don’t Start Now’ and adds to it with both a more enthralling bassline and more playful vocals creating a cohesive sound throughout the track. A truly 21st century reinvigorated disco sound, one that is both timeless and current. Effortlessly captivating and definitely a highlight of the album. Track 11 – Boys Will Be Boys 8/10 This song, an interesting closer to such a carefree and dance-heavy record, sees Dua explore the hardships of femininity in the 21st century. Challenging society’s norms and expectations and calling on us all to do better to combat inequality. The lyrics are moving and, at some times, uncomfortably true for many listeners. This song acts as a reminder to the listener that after the part, this is the reality that many women face. It’s a dark yet perceptive direction for Dua, but one that should be applauded for its bravery.

The Verdict The album has showcased an accomplished, sassy pop artist hungry to show the world that she is more from her first album One that I can only see success for in the future. ‘Future Nostalgia’ sound is certainly more mature and developed from her previous album and offers an insight into her growth as an artist, whilst also offering a new refreshing and thrilling sound that has managed to influence music trends since the release of ‘Don’t Start Now’. Keep us dancing Dua.

Words by Joe Gardner

Graphics by Katie Janes

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Cleo Sol is the London-based singer who effortlessly delivers captivating and dreamlike music straight from her soul. Her mature and jazzy vocals only shine brighter when accompanied with the raw percussion and flute melodies typically featured in her tracks. The 26-year-old is rare in the way her sound is simple and uncut. Rather than heavily using synthesisers and hi-hats in her tracks, she halos classical instruments: piano, cellos, flutes, percussions and gospel-style voice harmonisations to create music that is pensive and thought-provoking.

As the clocks go back and autumn inevitably approaches, Cleo’s 2018 EP ‘Winter Songs’ will definitely keep you warm. The four-track project which garnered 7 million streams on Spotify featuring ‘Still Cold’, ‘Miles Song’ and single ‘Why Don’t You’ are iconic for the way every instrument – including Cleo’s voice – are individually heralded but collectively work together to form a vibe and sound reminiscent of 90s Erykah Badu and Sade.

Her performance of ‘Why Don’t You’ on COLORSXSTUDIO has been particularly noticed online, garnering 9 million views and counting. Her live rendition of the track mesmerised listeners globally and projected her into the limelight for the way she carried herself and projected an earthy freshness with her suave vibrato voice.

Since COLORS, Cleo has released singles ‘One’ and ‘Sweet Blue’ earlier this year. Her lyrics manage to voice her opinions on current and decade-appropriate issues. In ‘One’, she sings “All the forests are dying, the people are crying / How have we, let this be, we watch freely on our TVs / They feed us fake food, it’s so easy” and seamlessly weaves her perspective on the global climate crisis into her lyrics. What makes Cleo so special is how she manages to extend the boundaries of R&B, a genre that characteristically focuses on love and relationships, to discuss contemporary concerns like climate change and civil complacency.

Her most recent track ‘Sweet Blue’ which dropped this May manages to create an airy and intimate atmosphere within the first seconds of the video. The elegant aesthetics of ‘Sweet Blue’ coupled with her quaint lyrics demonstrates the unique flair Cleo possesses – living true to her lyrics: “Just because I’m young, doesn’t mean I’m dumb”. Fans and listeners have compared the feeling her music brings to “drinking a warm cup of tea”.

Give her tracks a spin and you too would agree, Cleo’s music unquestionably succeeds in generating inspiration and introspection, to calm and uplift, and to simultaneously act as a pick-me-up and a relaxant.

Graphics by Aamir Potrick

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