1.
WORLD MUSIC
GLOBAL SOUND
Remember when Bieber forgot the lyrics to 'Despacito' and replaced them with ‘Dorito’ and ‘burrito’? Well, since that hit with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, we’ve moved away from questionable remixes. World music has never been bigger, so hit download on these artists now:
Rosalía, @rosalia.vt
She’s the Latin-Grammy winning Catalan artist fusing flamenco with R&B. As a result of her fresh take on Latino pop (check out her album El Mal Querer, which is out now), Rosalía is one of the most talked-about artists of the year in Britain, despite not singing a word of English.
Angèle, @angele_vl
The Belgian singer-songwriter had a real moment after releasing her debut album Brol and performing the hauntingly beautiful 'Ta Reine' on the COLORS YouTube channel. Her music is proof that there’s something soothing about listening to music when you don’t understand the lyrics.
Anitta, @anitta
Reggaetón is becoming a regular feature on the UK popcharts – enter Brazillian megastar Anitta, who is a long-time J Balvin collaborator. She’s a regular on Spotify’s ¡Viva Latino! (the holy grail of Latin playlists), and last year was ranked 7th on Billboard’s Social 50 list of the most influential artists in the world on social networks, ahead of Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Shakira and Rihanna.
2.
A LAUGH A MINUTE
THE FUNNY FOLLOW
Chicken Shop Date (@chickenshopdate) is the YouTube channel where journalist Amelia Dimoldenberg goes on dates with grime artists in chicken shops and talks about anything but their music. You may not learn much about their craft, but you will get a laugh out of it: expect awkward moments galore. Amelia had a Nando’s dating area at Wireless festival last year, and at the start of 2019, she took her show on the road with The Hot Sauce Tour in London, Manchester and Birmingham, featuring live music guests – all captured on film for her channel. Her past guests include Big Narstie, Sean Paul, Mahalia and Lady Leshurr.
3.
PLUG IN
SILENT THEATRE
Grab your Beats and head to the theatre for ANNA: the new headphone-based thriller at London’s Dorfman Theatre bringing intimacy and insight to communist East Berlin. Created by playwright and director Ella Hickson and sound directors Ben and Max Ringham, the show is set over one night in 1968, when a couple have their love tested by increasing pressure from the state. Forget discos – silent theatre is totally a thing right now.
From 11 May to 15 June; nationaltheatre.org.uk
4.
ZINE LOVE
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Push, @pushthemag
If there's a hip-hop/grime/soul/R&B artist you need to know about, they'll be in here. Based in Leeds and created by CLASH magazine's hip-hop editor Grant Brydon, Push (sold for £0,01 online) is 'a publication for youth culture that really cares about it'. Cover stars include IAMDDB, AJ Tracey and Julie Adenuga, discussing everything from politics to festivals.
SIREN, @sirenldn
'There just aren't enough women DJs' is an excuse the SIREN collective are sick of hearing. By creating its zine, throwing queer parties and having a monthly NTS radio show, they are proving that there's a host of talent out there and are redefining the gendered preconceptions of dance music. Check out their Buy Music Club list of favourite tracks from women and non-binary artists released in 2018 (online now).
Pink Noise Zine, @pinknoisezine
Curious about where best to buy a pair of CDJs? Always wanted to learn how to use Ableton? Turn to Pink Noise Zine - the go-to guide aiming to educate a new generation of DJs, producers, promoters and ravers. The DIY publication welcomes women into the world of dance music and includes interviews with influential crews such as Discwoman, alongside flawless graphic design.
5.
THE BAD GAL IS BACK
RIHANNA RETURNS
It’s been three (long) years since Rihanna graced us with solo music. She’s been
a tad tied up smashing the beauty, fashion and film industries, and details of her ninth studio album are being kept under wraps. What we know for certain is it’s reggae-infused and going to blow our minds.
Album out whenever-she-so-pleases
6.
MUSICAL THERAPY
A SONG FOR EVERY OCCASION
The one to listen to before you ask for a pay rise: 'Venti' by Ms. Boogie
‘It reminds us to continually push and remind ourselves of our self-worth’
– Nadine Artois, Pxssy Palace co-founder
The one to motivate you for a run: 'Big For Your Boots' by Stormzy
‘I listened to this at the European Championships. It was the energy I needed’
– Dina Asher-Smith, athlete
The one to chill to in the bath: 'Easy' by Mac Ayres
‘This song feels timeless. I find his body of work coherent and calming’
– Chidera Eggerue AKA The Slumflower, writer
The one that inspires unconditional self-love: 'Video' by India.Arie
‘Her words lift you up and inspire acceptance no matter everyone else’s beauty standards’
– NAO, singer
7.
THE LINE-UP
GIRLS ON STAGE
Last year, only 19 per cent of acts performing at the world’s biggest festivals were women (Pitchfork, May 2018) – but that’s about to change. For the 19th edition of Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival, more than half of the acts are women. Solange returns as a headliner and is joined by Cardi B, R&B legend Erykah Badu, hip-hop icon Nas and ELLE’s one-to-watch flamenco pop star Rosalía.
30 May to 1 June; primaverasound.com
8.
ALBUMS OF NOTE
THEY'RE ELECTRIC
Sucker Punch by Sigrid, @thisissigrid
This Norwegian free spirit achieved international success with her EP 'Don't Kill My Vibe' and she went on to win BBC Sound of 2018. Her single 'Sucker Punch' is a pop masterpiece, and her album (of the same name) is seriously powerful.
Out now
Grim Town by SOAK, @soaksoaksoak
If her Mercury-nominated debut Before We Forgot How To Dream was anything to go by, then this Northern Irish artist’s anticipated second album will be worth the (six-year!) wait. SOAK’s new single 'Knock Me O My Feet' introduces its dystopian vibe (it is based on the realities of adulthood) – look out for her UK tour in May.
Out 26 April
9.
ELLE RECOMMENDS
ADD TO YOUR LIST
If you like Jorja Smith...you’ll like Ama Lou
This raw, soulful singer supported Jorja on tour and has been endorsed by Drake.
If you like Alanis Morissette...you’ll like Jade Bird
Her angsty tracks will have you jumping around your room like a teenager.
If you like Lorde...you’ll like King Princess
She’s bringing a fresh perspective to pop and is signed to Mark Ronson’s new label.
10.
THE NEXT BIG THING
GO WITH FLOHIO
Flohio is the Lagos-born, south London-raised MC who last year was nominated for BBC Sound of 2019, selected by Naomi Campbell as one of ‘10 Rising Female Stars Reimagining Our Future’, released her second EP, 'Wild Yout', had her first world tour and fronted a Nike campaign. We find out what one of the UK’s most exciting rappers has planned for 2019.
On penning her first rap
‘It was at a youth club down the road from my house on Talent Day when I was in year seven– I was whack, though. I remember the moment I first picked up a pen and paper in my sister’s bedroom. We didn’t have phones, so it wasn’t a typing thing. You write, scribble out, write... It was exhausting. I didn’t know what I was doing; I just wanted to write and show my friends.’
On the youth club that made her
‘If I hadn’t gone to my youth club, I don’t think I’d be here talking to you. It became my second bedroom – the studio created a safe space where I built myself up to be a better young person. I was there every day; it kept me on the path in a routine of, 'music, music, music'.’
On rappers being pitted against one other
‘Maybe it’s because [the industry] is so small, and everyone thinks there’s just one spot. I’m in my own lane, but if anything, I hear Little Simz comparisons a lot – but I love Simz, so it’s all sweet. No beef, no negative vibes. Simz is someone I look up to, and want to be doing that. I wanna keep it all cool.’
On staying true to her sense of style
‘Growing up as a tomboy [in an all-girls school], they tried to change me – 'Do your hair like this' – but by year 11, everyone gave up. I think I wore a skirt about two times in the whole five years. When I was 16, my auntie said it didn’t make sense for me to be a rapper and have my face at the forefront: 'Learn to be a producer, don’t bother rapping, look at you!' But because I’m strong in who I am as a person, you can’t tell me no. I will still do it, but I’ll do it as I am. I don’t need to change or alter anything. I’m very comfortable in my style.’
On how she protects her mental health
‘When I’m touring I don’t eat well or sleep enough. So when I’m at home, I sleep and I eat; I watch Planet Earth. I just try to rejuvenate and write songs. I have a little studio in my bedroom, so I’m just in there.’
On what’s to come this year
‘People say I did a lot last year, but I feel there was lots I didn’t do. In 2019, I want to do ten times as much: drop more music, more visuals. I don’t have dates or plans, it’ll be spontaneous.’
11.
TECHNO TALENT
SUPER STAR DJ
Helena Hauff is rising to the top of the techno scene. It’s been six years since she began releasing tracks and her new (almost entirely live) album Qualm is full of her signature retro Eighties/Nineties style. Her mixing skills have been immortalised via YouTube uploads of her sets on Dekmantel’s Boiler Room stage (and more), and her 2017 BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix was named by staff as the best of the year. Want to see her in 2019? Head to Primavera Sound or Melt Festival.
12.
TECHNI COLOURS
WATCH, LISTEN, DISCOVER
COLORS was born from a very simple concept: a YouTube channel (and now-cult music platform) that showcases the most distinctive new artists from across the globe, who perform against a block-colour backdrop at its Berlin studio. The channel has almost three million subscribers, and anyone who is worth listening to will have made an appearance. Leicester-born Mahalia performed her track Sober for COLORS in 2017 – the video fast-tracked her career and has now racked up over 25 million views. Watch these artists immediately: NYC-based Raveena, Jamaica-born Masego, Brazillian-Norwegian Charlotte Dos Santos, Thai-born Phum Viphurit and Londoners Daniel OG and Cleo Sol.
13.
HOME GROWN
HERE COME THE LADS
It’s been nearly a decade since One Direction’s first album, and they have since slipped down our ultimate-crush-status rankings. Thankfully, there’s a whole new generation of talented (and swoon-worthy) MCs to obsess over.
Loyle Carner, @loylecarner
In his spare time, the rapper teaches kids who also have ADHD how to cook, as it helped with his concentration growing up. His new album is out 19 April.
Jimothy Lacoste, @jimothylacoste
Whether he’s throwing shapes on the roof of London buses in 'Future Bae' or sporting diamanté shades in 'Fashion', the DIY rapper never takes himself too seriously and is a lovable oddball.
AJ Tracey, @ajtracey
The Ladbroke Grove MC has been busy celebrating the release of his debut album – aptly titled AJ Tracey. While the record is rooted in grime, his favourite tracks have a country twist.
14.
RISING STAR
LITTLE SIMZ: WORLD DOMINATION
This year is going to be Little Simz’s biggest yet. Aside from stepping into the world of acting (bagging a main role in the new Drake-produced, Netflix-revived series of Top Boy opposite Ashley Walters and Kano), the rapper has just released her third album Grey Area.
The first single 'Selfish', featuring soulful singer-songwriter Cleo Sol, was Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ and shows off Simz’s natural gift for lyricism. The album is a melting pot of neo-soul and deep funk, fused with Simz’s hip-hop and grime roots, and will no doubt cement her as a prominent artist across the globe. Honest, ferocious and politically aware: Little Simz is one to keep firmly on your radar.
15.
GENRE RULES
CLASSIC ATTACK
Classical music is officially cool: Classic FM reported a 30 per cent increase in listeners under 35. We’re streaming...
Kelsey Lu, @iamkelseylu
The cellist and vocalist performed an interlude on Solange’s epic album A Seat at the Table and has a solo gig at The Roundhouse, London, on 8 March.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, @shekukannehmason
The 19-year-old cellist captured our hearts at the royal wedding. He’s since won two Classic Brit awards, released an album and appeared in a Paul Smith campaign.
Ezinma, @iamezinma
The violinist merges hip-hop and classical in her electrifying performances. She’s worked with Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder and Mac Miller, and joined Jorja Smith on tour.
16.
CLUB LAND
HEDONISTIC PURSUITS
It has been widely reported that young people no longer like to go clubbing: the New York Post even referred to millennials as ‘the greatest generation – of couch potatoes’. But with the opening of these new venues, that’s about to change...
In London, Magazine is being built by the Thames
Raving with a view? Yes, please. The team behind Printworks London is launching a new multi-million-pound event space this September. Magazine London, designed by Nissen Richards (the architect behind Seoul Opera House), will stand on Greenwich Peninsula with views of Canary Wharf. Designed to host everything from live music to exhibitions, it will have an indoor capacity for 3,000 people, plus a further 7,000 outdoors overlooking the riverbank.
In Manchester, YES opens by Oxford Road
With the opening of YES, the city of Manchester is now home to a four-storey (and wheelchair-accessible) music venue. Located on Charles Street, the converted auction house and ex-printing press dedicates each of its floors to a different experience, from dining to live acts, and has a free basement club (even on Fridays and Saturdays). There’s also space for a larger gig venue, plus an attic bar with a roof terrace specialising in vermouth, with old-fashioned cocktails on tap.
In Lancaster and Margate, Sofar Sounds expands
Sofar Sounds works on the thrill of the unknown, reimagining the live event experience with its secret performances. The concept: guests sign up for three unnamed acts (past artists include Bastille and Leon Bridges) at undisclosed locations, which can be anywhere from living rooms to rooftops (see above) or offices, in any of the 427 cities it now covers.
17.
THE LEADERS
BEHIND THE SPEAKERS
Meet the women ruling the music industry from behind the scenes:
Grace Ladoja, Skepta’s manager and founder of culture studio Metallic Inc
Grace, who has an MBE for her services to music, is dedicated to making British grime global and elevating youth culture in Nigeria, where she set up mini-festival Homecoming.
Nikita Chauhan, producer founder of creative partnership hub TranslateNC
For three years, Nikita produced two of 1Xtra’s revered specialist radio shows for DJ Semtex and DJ Edu. She founded her own company in 2018, produces Spotify podcast Who We Be TALKS and mentors young women in the industry.
Heidi Jacobs, executive national & urban radio manager at Island Records
Looking after artists from Ariana Grande and Drake to Ray BLK, Heidi knows how to execute a killer campaign. Last year, she also participated in the ‘How to be a female boss’ session for BBC Asian Network.
Lara Baker, head of sessions content & programming at BBC Music Introducing Live
Not only was Lara named in Music Week’s Women in Music Roll of Honour and Shesaid.so’s Alt Power 1OO Music List (see no.19), she also sits on UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce.
18.
WORD UP
LYRICS WE LOVE
From sexual desire to confidence goals, these songs provide us with some much-needed real talk:
'Girls Need Love' by Summer Walker
‘Girls can never say they want it, girls can never say how’
'Finders Keepers' by Mabel
‘Is it criminal for me to want you right here, right now?’
'Doobies' by IAMDDB
‘This will never add up to the price I pay when I speak my mind’
'Offence' by Little Simz
‘I’m Jay-Z on a bad day, Shakespeare on my worst days’
19.
POWER BALLADS
THE MUSIC NETWORK
Shesaid.so (@shesaid.so) is a curated network of women in the music industry. It celebrates unheard voices with its epic Alt Power 100 Music List, featuring everyone from managers to producers and light technicians.
There’s also its 3,000-strong community, created for members to ask advice and announce projects. The network believes in women helping women, offering mentoring schemes and advice sessions.
20.
IT'S HIP TO BE SQUARE
MUSICALS FOR LIFE
Musicals have gone from niche to mainstream to cool – and we couldn’t be happier. The Book of Mormon and Hamilton are modern classics and the genre is also box-office gold: The Greatest Showman soundtrack broke chart records.
We’re in the middle of a musical renaissance. This year, Fame returns for its 30th anniversary, and look out for new show Waitress (with songs by Sara Bareilles –remember Love Song?) and Six The Musical (retelling the story of Henry VIII’s wives).
The Top 20 appears in the April 2019 edition of ELLE UK. Subscribe here to make sure you never miss an issue.
