“The vocal delivery is so soft spoken I struggled to hear, I found myself turning the volume up louder to form a connection. However, I couldn’t grasp the songwriting aspect. The features do sound good together and very well blended. I couldn’t tell who was who. My recommendation would be to adjust the vocal level so a listener can embrace the song.”
“Maddie Regent has a sweet undertone to her vocals, but this track definitely deals with some tough emotions and heavy problems. ‘Sleeptalking’ deals with self-sabotaging and doubt.
We’ve all experienced time where we should be happy or content but for whatever reason remain unsatisfied and unsettled. And the questions we then have to ask ourselves is why, and are those feelings warranted? ”
“Julia Raye does a good job of straddling he genre line with her latest release, ‘Give You Up.’ There is certainly a Contemporary R&B vibe though this track also has a more Commercial Dance Pop sound.
The track is about nothing someone isn’t good for you but being unable to deny your feelings despite that fact. ”
“ARIA is energetic and upbeat on the track ‘Obsessed.’ The beat and melody carryt he day here though the vocals certainly have talent and an engaging sprit to keep the listener entangled in all phases of the track. The hook isn’t quite as punchy as similar tracks often are but the sound is vibrant and the end result fun.”
“German Pop songstress, Francie Eliot drops this debut single and she is anything but ‘Delusional,’ because her talent is obvious. There is a bit of Miley in the tone though the arrangement gives me Fleetwood Mac vibes as well.
The writing is strong and her emotive delivery sells the words well. The up-tempo arrangement is energetic and entertaining start to finish.”
“I have a love hate relationship with this track. That steady cadence of the beat gripped me from the first listen though the lyrical flow took me a couple listen to full appreciate.
Yelawolf sounds like a Countryfied Snoop Dogg and his wordplay is ne point though the references are not what you hear in Hip-Hop. That is a good thing but it is a bit jarring upon the first listen. ”
“GAUSTAD is one of the most emotive young voices I’ve heard. ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ is pretty self-explanatory in terms of subject but the nuance and flair that GAUSTAD infuses into the performance is next level talent. Pop Music has a new rising star. Latch on now and celebrate the rise of the phenom. ”
“Kenny Sharp’s latest track ‘Coming Back To You’ was recently featured in the latest season of Love Island and I suspect you’ll be hearing the song in a lot of other places as well. Sharp has that vocal sound that is hard to defne to a single genre. A little blues, some roots rock, Americana, Pop. It’s all in there on this track, and the writing has clever word play as well as deeper meaning to ponder on subsequent listens.”
“CYRlL is back on the heels of his massive hit ‘Stumblin’ In’ is back alongside Dean Lewis. This pair of Aussies gives us ‘Fall At Your Feet’ a big soaring Electro Pop track that grabs hold of your heart and refuses to let go. ”
“Foresight would be nice because most of us are our own worst critics. Alexa Kate wrote this track as a note ... ‘to my younger self,’ and the track serves as a reminder to us all that we need to look back and be proud of how far we’ve come.
Th track is light and energetic and brimming with confidence and pride. ”
“Lillian Hepler goes scorched earth on her ex in ‘Famous.’ While the them is reminiscent of many songs including Miley’s recent hit ‘Flowers,’ there is nothing derivative about Helper’s track. The arrangement offers just enough anger, but also has a bit of vulnerability in the quieter moments.”
“Lina Loukily certainly has a spirited talent that is tangible int he delivery. i did crave more vibrancy from the vocal side of the mix to sell her vocal talents. ‘Pretend’ is on of those songs that you discover new nuance with each listen, so add this one to your playlists and take your time digesting the lyrical build. ”
“Shannon Dooley conveys an easy confidence on this track. ‘Gold’ is a dreamy Pop track that feels a bit surreal in the sultry tones and song song cadence. An easy track to fall in and sing along with this one has a girls night out party vibe that is sure to resonate with many of our readers.”
“Fiona Grey was voted LA’s Best Pop Artist by LA Weekly back in 2018 and time has only honed her skill and craft as both a songwriter and a performer. The imagery of this video is as powerful as the writing, and the emotional journey of this track is one that you can feel in every note. Grey is a star, but one that clearly is patient enough to do it her own way.”
“This song had a rough start. I was ready to decline because the intro didn’t do it justice. I can hear the empowerment in her vocals which made me give it a few more minutes. Once the chorus hit that is when the song came alive.”
“Estella Dawn is a talented artist I feature often here at LA on Lock. This New Zealand native now calls San Diego home, but sometime soon the entire world will claim her as one of their own as this kind of talent finds a way to shine bright.
’514’ Denim’ is a smooth Electro Pop kind of track that fits right alongside some of the biggest hits out right now. I’ve written this before but I am going o write it again .. get on board with this star now! ”
“I often struggle to connect to vocals delivered in a high register but not this time. Lily Meola has a very emotive delivery that works for her higher, softer tone.
’Gasoline’ is the latest release from Meola who has captured the attention and mentorship of Willie Nelson. The track leans slightly to a Pop Folk sort of sound that feels alive and vibrant.”
“I rarely like Pop Country offerings because straddling the fence tends to do little more than leave you with a crotch full of splinters. That said, Emma Kade, does it well on this song.
’End Game’ is a throwback of sorts to a time when artists like Shania Twain, Tricia Yearwood, and later Taylor Swift toed that line between Country emotion and Pop sound and structure. Kade has managed to achieve the same brand of engaging song with a contemporary vibe that will no doubt hold crossover appeal. ”
“Heartbreak is one of the cornerstones of songwriting, with untold songs written on the subject, and yet talented artists like Zoë Vera continue to dip into this emotional well.
’Don’t Make It My Fault’ is about love gone wrong but Vera’s manages to give us a vulnerable and tender song without delving into the anger or jaded skepticism often found in such songs. Her vocal range and emotive delivery is impressive and this song has a haunting quality that makes you want to give her a comforting hug afterward.”
“The delivery is soft and Laila sounds so nice. However, the hook is where you are drawn in. Once you hear it it makes you want to pay more attention to the lyrics and how hurt she is. I think there should be more song writing added to it instead of the hook carrying the song.”