Category: Artist2watch

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Lockdown Artist Discovery Lauren Daigle

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Creativity, togetherness and music are not dead even during lockdown. So a group of Swiss Music Bloggers got together and decided to create a series that showcases new up and coming artists. Every Sunday at 6pm you get to discover 2 new artists and here’s is one of mine:

Lauren Daigle

Lauren Daigle

I am a huge fan of Lauren Daigle. A lot of people will recognize her song “You Say”. It’s been played on the radio quite a lot. I also assume most people think that Adele is singing that song. They have a quite similar sound. However, most people don’t know that the song is actually a religious song. Lauren Daigle is a christian music singer and a really good one at that. “You Say” won a grammy as well as her album “Look Up Child”.

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

And You say I am held when I am falling short

And when I don’t belong, oh You say I am Yours

And I believe 

You Say

Her album “Look Up Child” is one of my favs and I can listen to it for hours. The first track “Still rolling stones” is a gospel song and it’s so powerful! I’ve added her Spotify below so you should definitely listen to it – not just to this song 🙂 Each time you listen to the record you find a new jewel or a new nuance you haven’t heard before.

Lauren Daigle was supposed to go on a European tour and then Corona hit. So I can only hope that once this is over she will reschedule her tour and include a Swiss date!
And hope is what the album emits. Every song has strong meaning and a story behind it. Of course it’s also religious but I do think you would enjoy the songs even if you are not a religious person.

Last year Lauren also participated in a live stream event and I got to experience her online “live” 🙂 And her voice did not disappoint! Plus she was super nice and funny. She loves bracelets so all her fans give her friendship bracelets. She’s gonna end up with a really heavy arm soon if she continues like that!

On February 26th she’s releasing her new single “Hold on to me” which I am super excited to hear since it’s the first release after the 2018 album. It’s been a while so I am sure she had time to dig deep and write some jewels for the new record.

Lauren Daigle has a powerful voice and gives hope to us in a time where everyone needs a bit of hope. An amazing female vocalist who I cannot wait to see live!

Follow Lauren Daigle’s career

Instagram: Lauren Daigle
Facebook: Lauren Daigle
Homepage: Lauren Daigle

About the Lockdown Artist Discovery Series

Make sure to go check out the other blogs that are participating in this series. There will always be 2 new articles each week:
Music and Events published: Marius Bear and Tim Freitag
Loads of Music published: Jake Isaac and Luke James Shaffner
Erenblogs published: Daniel Donskoy and Heavn
Planet Sarah published: Wild Youth and Samora

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Lockdown Artist Discovery: Nathan Evans

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Creativity, togetherness and music are not dead even during lockdown. So a group of Swiss Music Bloggers got together and decided to create a series that showcases new up and coming artists. Every Sunday at 6pm you get to discover 2 new artists and here’s is one of mine:

Nathan Evans – From postman to popstar

Nathan Evans

That’s the story of Nathan Evans. Only a few weeks ago the citizens of Airdire, Scotland were blessed with a singing postman delivering their mail everyday. But these days the world is small thanks to social media. Nathan uploaded a tik tok video of himself singing a very old sea shanty called “Wellerman” – and the rest is history as they say.

The 30 sec “Wellerman” video went viral and was watched by 12 million people on tik tok. Nathan Evans drums on his guitar to create a beat and his incredible voice with the very charming accent does the rest. Loads of other tik tokers started to duet with him. It literally took off like a rocket! Of course this couldn’t go unnoticed by the big music labels and here you go – Nathan is now a signed artist at a major label Polydor Records and is now in the midst of Billie Eilish or Selena Gomez.
Have a look at this cool compilation YouTube video:

“Wellerman” – the background

The 26 year old has obviously hit a nerve with the sea shanty that orgininated in New Zealand. The “Wellerman” was a supply ship between 1830 to 1840 that was part of the whale hunting company “The Weller Bros.” The whale hunting origin of the song can be seen in the word “tonguin” which describes the tiresome work of cutting a whale into pieces. A bit gruesome I know but the song is about longing and hoping – which to be fair we all do at the moment.

“Wellerman 2021”

The hopeful longing for the arrival of the Wellerman and for us right now the hopeful longing of a normal world. Is that why the this song hit a nerve? I don’t know. But what I know is that the song is an inspiration: Hard work and the pay off will come. So we just have to wait a little while longer. For Nathan the hard work has definitely paid off.
I honestly cannot wait for him to be able to perform this song live. I can feel the goosebumps already of thousands of people singing our lockdown tik tok anthem.

The original Tik Tok video is great but of course it needed a little make over to be played in clubs – haha I know there are no clubs at the moment, but there will be. “Wellerman 2021” has great dance beat and didn’t loose it shanty character! I am currently listening to both songs on replay.
And yes – I’m so proud to say that the radios are starting to play the song as well! 🙂 Kekoas Korner is also super stocked that I got to interview Nathan Evans! Read more here.

Nathan Evans has a brilliant unique voice and I can’t wait to hear more songs! But what I love most is his story from postman to popstar within a few weeks thanks to tik tok. I wish him all the success in the world and hopefully we’ll get to see him live soon!

Follow Nathan Evans’ career

Tik Tok: Nathan Evans
Instagram: Nathan Evans
Spotify: Nathan Evans

About the Lockdown Artist Discovery Series

Make sure to go check out the other blogs that are participating in this series. There will always be 2 new articles each week:
Music and Events published: Marius Bear and Tim Freitag
Loads of Music published: Jake Isaac
Erenblogs published: Daniel Donskoy
Planet Sarah published: Wild Youth

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Artist2watch: Asher Roth

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We still love college! 🙂 10 years after Asher Roth released his debut album “Asleep in the Bread Aisle” we get to see him live at Mascotte on Friday, May 17th. So I’m expecting a frat party times 10 since it’s the start of the weekend. I hope lots of people show up and are ready to party with Asher Roth. But first things first. Let me introduce you to him:

This is Asher Roth and he must have had a good time in college. His debut record is all about the experience every school kid in America goes through. With his old school hip hop vibe he hit a nerve and went from myspace to the big spotlight – so much that little me in Switzerland heard his song and fell in love with it. I still party to “I love college” in my car haha

That party last night was awfully crazy
I wish we taped it
I danced my ass off and had this one girl completely naked
Drink my beer and smoke my weed
But my good friends is all I need
Pass out at three wake up at ten
Go out to eat then do it again

I love college by Asher Roth

Another one of my favorites is “She don’t wanna man” featuring Keri Hilson. It’s such a cool party tune. Both songs found their way onto my iPod. Since we are already talking about featurings…. This album has a few of them with big names! Cee-Lo Green – the “Crazy” singer and a party of Gnarls Barkley and the legendary Busta Rhymes – who’s the fastest rapper I’ve ever heard. How cool is that to have them on your debut record?

I would deffo recommend you to listen to “Asleep in the bread aisle” and now I’m really excited to see all those songs live at Mascotte on May 17th thanks to Just Because. And maybe just maybe we get to listen to some newer material as well. You will deffo hear about here on my blog.
Get your tix here: justbecause.ch

Asher Roth loves College and I love his debut record “Asleep in the bread Aisle”. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since the release but now I finally get to hear it live. So mark your calendar peeps May 17th at Mascotte! Let’s put our drinks up and party like back in 2009 🙂

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Artist2watch: Dean Lewis & Noah Kahan

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Dean Lewis and Noah Kahan – Two incredible singer songwriters going on tour together! This is a must go to gig for everyone who loves a man and a guitar shows. In addition to that I think this will be your last chance to see them in a relatively small venue at Kaufleuten because both of them are rising stars and will soon fill much bigger venues.

Dean Lewis

Dean Lewis is an Aussie slowly making it all over the world. With his first single “Waves” gaining traffic in Australia while his 2nd single “Be Alright” is already getting airplay in Europe and he sold out his show last winter at Papiersaal. So it’s only fitting that he’s playing the next bigger venue now. Fast forward into 2019 where he released his 3rd single “7 Minutes” and his back for another show on Sunday, April 7th at Kaufleuten. You can get tix here.

In an article I read that he is a huge Oasis fan and that they basically thought him how to write songs. So we all know the legendary hits “Wonderwall” or “Don’t look back in Anger” and we can only hope that Dean Lewis will be writing hits just like that and you can say you’ve been there from the start! 🙂

Instagram: Dean Lewis
Spotify: Dean Lewis

Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan is an American singer who released his first song “Youngblood” in 2017. He is working with with Joel Little who is also responsible for the hits of Lorde and Khalid. But I’m sure you know this guy from his most recent single “Hurt Somebody” featuring Julia Michaels. The song has been playing on the radio non-stop over the last few months.

twitter.com/noahkahan

Like Dean Lewis I think that Noah Kahan will be making it big time since he is such a talented singer songwriter and he’s got great people backing him. I can only recommend you to come to the show on April 7th and see/ hear for yourself those two amazing individuals putting up a brill show which you’ll be remember as your “I see them first”-moment.

Instagram: Noah Kahan
Spotify: Noah Kahan

Get your tix here: www.kaufleuten.ch
Thank you Just Because!

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One evening with Drew Cole at Bistro Chez Marion

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From the Voice to Bistro Chez Marion

Shirley from Loads of Music introduced me to this awesome talented musician named Drew Cole. She showed me a video from his blind audition at The Voice US. It didn’t take me long to agree to join her at the little get together. Let me show you the video:

Would you have turned as well? I sure would have! And thank God he went with Adam LOL Fast forward a few months he’s been touring with ZIBBZ through Switzerland after they met each other in LA. And thank God they did because otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten to hear and see him here in Zurich at a little bistro called Chez Marion. Sounds great right? Have a look at the highlights in my Insta Stories by clicking here.

dav
My yummy Galette

This little bistro has this thing called “Mercredi Musique” where musicians can showcase their talent. I love this sooo much. It is sooo important for newcomers to show their talents and I admire any coffee owner who supports good music. So well done to you!

Sour Love

“Sour Love” is Drew Cole’s recent single. It’s such a fun uptempo song and the rhythm is super catchy. But listen to the single here.
2018-11-14 20.47.04
Drew Cole performed “Kings and Queens” as well which you can listen on Spotify too. But what I didn’t expect was that he covered my favourite song. It was a pretty bad week for me and when I heard the first chords of “I Don’t Want To Be” I nearly freaked out. I sat there, sang along and nearly started crying. I am so grateful to Drew Cole for singing this song that night and especially for doing it justice. He’s got such a beautiful special voice you will recognize instantly.

Artist2watch

So if a musician is able to make you cry with his voice I think he is definitely an artist2watch! If you see Drew Cole is playing near please go and support this awesome artist! I wish him all the best and I hope that his music reaches as many hearts as it did mine that night.
Follow his journey via the below socials:
Instagram
Facebook
Spotify
Twitter

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Artist2watch: Selah Sue

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Selah Sue sounds like a mix between Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse and she is coming to Kaufleuten on Aug. 28th with her very special acoustic set. 

Who’s Selah Sue?

Selah Sue is a belgian artist who debuted her self titled record in 2011. She earned herself various recognitions along the way until she released her 2nd album in 2015 called Reason. But what struck me as the most interesting is that she participated in an open mic night which was organized by none other than Milow himself who then asked her to be his supporting act.

What does Selah Sue sound like?

To me she sounds like a mix between Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse. She’s got a very special and recognizable voice and the chill factor of Erykah Badu. I think her music is perfect for your chilled evenings with friends. The most famous song which also got some air play is the following:

 

When can I see Selah Sue live?

Selah Sue is currently touring with a very special acoustic set of her songs. And believe me if you hear a show is strictly acoustical you gotta go. This is something you don’t get to hear every day. I bet you won’t regret it. Just Because and Kaufleuten are presenting Selah Sue – Acoustic on Aug. 28th !
Tickets: Starticket.ch
Share your experience: facebook.com

Want to find out more about Selah Sue?

Facebook
facebook.com/SelahSue
Instagram
instagram.com/selahsue
Homepage
selahsue.com
 
 

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Artist2watch: Dermot Kennedy

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Kekoas Korner has been on a winter break for a while but now I’ve got a real treat for you guys. Dermot Kennedy is an Irish singer songwriter who is coming to Papiersaal in Zurich on Jan, 31st. The show is already sold out so congrats to the lucky ones who scored some tix. If you didn’t Just Because are giving 2×2 tix on their website.
Dermot Kennedy has been busking on the streets of Dublin for years. Glen Hansard another Irish singer songwriter organises the annual Christmas Eve Busking Event. Musicians can take their guitar and play along big names such as Bono from U2, The Coronas or The Script. It’s gotten bigger and bigger over the years but this is how Dermot Kennedy met Glen Hansard – his idol and inspiration – for the first time. Years later Glen invited Dermot to join him on stage and in this video you can see the result:

 
Last year he went on tour in America and Europe where the shows were mostly sold out. He also supported Glen Hansard and Lana del Rey on their tours but not only that Taylor Swift recommended him on her Spotify playlist available to her fans. So he’s already gotten big names to support him. All of this sounds really promising, doesn’t it?
Kekoas Korner agrees with them. Dermot Kennedy has a beautiful unique voice with just a little rasp. If you hear him on the radio you gonna know it’s him. In addition to his voice he has beautiful songs with meaningful lyrics. His newest single is called “Moments Passed” and premiered on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show which has to be a huge honour. But have a listen for yourself:

I personally love it. It reminds me a bit of Jacob Banks and Tom Grennan. I cannot wait to see him live and get to know a little of his personality. Since Dermot Kennedy is Irish I bet he is quite funny and good craic. That little green island has so much talent! As you know I am a huge fan of Irish musicians so stay tuned to Kekoas Korner to read about the gig on Jan, 31st!
Check out Dermot Kennedy’s website: http://www.dermotkennedymusic.com

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Artists2watch: Tom Grennan & Jake Isaac

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Just Because is bringing two amazing artists to Zurich in December and you can still get tix for both shows. Both musicians are born in England and very talented. In any case if you love amazing music from artists who will make it big one day but are at the start it is well worth to check out other shows of Just Because. They have a talented in booking brill musicians like Jacob Banks or Angus & Julia Stone.

Tom Grennan

Let’s start with Tom Grennan. He made it onto the BBC sound of 17 list which is a huge indicator that he will make it big soon. Previous nominees are Ellie Goulding, Adele, Hurts and the list goes on and on. Tom Grennan already had a hit as the voice of Chase and Status’s song “When it all goes wrong” which was named as the hottest record by Annie Mac. Before that he was busking on the streets of London and now he is working with the producer of Florence & the Machines for his debut record. All of this sounds super promising but as you know I can only judge someone after seeing him live.
Tom Grennan plays the Papiersaal on Dec, 17th and tickets are available on starticket. But of course YouTube allows us to check his music out before the show and boy he sounds really really good and I totally understand why he made the sound of 17 list. But have a listen for yourself:

 
His voice is amazing, innit? 😉 Tom Grennan has a nice raspy voice and seems very down to earth. And like I already mentioned I think he is a super talented singer songwriter and I am very much looking forward to see him in December.

Jake Isaac

Jake Isaac is playing the Papiersaal on Dec, 10th and tickets are also available on starticket. He’s played Glastonbury and supported Ella Eyre and Paloma Faith. To me that shows he must be very good and it is well worth to spend a few quids on a ticket to his gig. After a few EP’s Jake Isaac released his debut record this May called “Our Lives” and he was signed to a record label called Rocket Records which is owned by the legendary Elton John. But enough about his background, let’s listen to some music:

 
Jake has a very warm deep voice and I know that I will be clapping my hands a lot. He’s just got that rhythm and soul that I love and he really does remind me a bit of Jacob Banks. Since he has already been on tour I’m expecting a good show and lots of good music.
Sometimes it’s the smaller shows that will be in your mind for quite a long time. Do you know why? Because the musician can actually see the people and even a small conversation can arise. JP Cooper or The Coronas are good examples for that. So if you decide to go to these gigs please let me know and say hi. I’d love to get to know my reader’s opinion 🙂

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Artist to Watch: Elliot Root

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At The Coronas concert I learned about this band called Elliot Root. They are 5 musicians from Nashville, Tennessee who slowly built their fan base since 2009 by playing all around town. They were already opening for the famous Zac Brown Band and released a few short EP’s. Finally, in 2017 a proper album got released and is called “Conjure“. Let me show you their newest single 10’000:

Officially they’re in the Alternative/Indie Rock genre but to me they just have a great sound and brilliant rhythm. I love to listen to this song especially because of the light sound and the beautiful voice. I say that a lot I know but each voice is different and recently I’ve discovered some WOW-voices. But you also know me there’s nothing like seeing an artists live. Unfortunately they haven’t planned any European dates but maybe we get fortunate pretty soon. For now let’s watch this live video of “Wicked Lies”:

Full of energy, aren’t they?! Scott Krueger is the lead singer and plays the guitar. His voice sounds like he’s had his fare share of whiskey even though he is still quite young. A roughed up voice which sounds amazing is right up my sleeve. The four musicians Todd Bond, Melissa Mattey, Justin Smith and Sean Truskowski are fullfilling the band with their great play of guitars, keyboards, bass and drums. In 2015 Scott Krueger gave a phone interview to the Tennessean talking about Nashville and their influences:

We fit in (with Nashville) because we’ve taken a little bit from many different influences that the city has to offer and have applied it as honestly as possible to the music. I think that’s what’s great about Nashville … there is a diversity, and there is an understanding of all of the music from the people who live here

Elliot Root if you are reading this believe me Zurich, Switzerland has a big understanding of music too 😉
If you ask me how do they sound like I’d say difficult question. I actually don’t want to compare any bands since they are all unique. However they remind me a bit of Welshly Arms who I’ve recently got to watch live and Krueger reminds me of the lead singer of Billy Talent. Just have a listen for yourself and if you love them as much as I do follow them on all their social media accounts and check their page for tour dates.
An artist to watch for me but what do YOU think? Leave a message in the comments below.

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Artist to watch: Jacob Banks

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I have to tell you guys about this amazing artist called Jacob Banks. I’ve heard his name before but never really had a listen. This changed this week! I listened to “Chainsmoking” and it blew me away. It is powerful, soulful and Jacob Banks’ voice gives it the right intensity. It sounds like it’s coming from the deep south in the US but with a modern twist. But listen for yourself:

 
Good, right? But let me correct you he is not from any southern state in the US. He is actually from Nigeria and moved to Birmingham, England when he was 13. This came as a surprise to me after listening to this powerful song. But Banks has not only an amazing voice he also writes his songs himself. He is the complete package and a wonderful singer songwriter. Apart from “Chainsmoking” he released two other singles of his EP “The Boy Who Cried Freedom” and they are similar in style. He also got two previous EP’s and obviously they are well worth to listen to. But let me show you how he sounds live:

 
Amazing right?! He has been on tour with Emeli Sandé, Sam Smith and Alicia Keys all around the UK. Lucky for us he is on a world tour right now and tickets are going fast. The first few shows are already sold out. Just because is bringing him to Zurich on 23rd October! I bet he will fill Mascotte with his incredible voice and transform us into the south. Another great gig at this club after Welshly Arms played there. Me personally I cannot wait to see him live. Get your tickets here. Check back into Kekoas Korner after the concert to read about the gig and leave your opinion too.
Please check his homepage for other tour dates.
What do you think of Jacob Banks? Let me know in the comments below.