Putting David Guetta and Zara Larsson together in a song would be enough for anyone to be sure it will be a worldwide hit, right? Well, so imagine the repercussion of "This one's for you", which not only gathered the two stars, but is also the official song of UEFA Euro 2016! This track is as catchy as it could be: it has an addictive melody, a very strong chorus and a lot of personality. We'll surely see it charting everywhere!
Two of the coolest pop stars of Finland have gathered to record a song together. Lucas and Vilma Alina have just released "101 prosenttia". It's a light electropop with smooth beats and a very captivating melody. Lucas's and Vilma's voices match very well, making the track sound even better!
Sofia Tarasova is a Ukrainian teen singer who was born in Kiev in 2001. She represented her country on the 2013 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, finishing second. Sofia has just released a new single, entitled "Letet' vysoko". It's a smooth dance pop song with great chorus.
Pause Applause are a band formed in Berlin, Germany, by very talented boys from New Zealand. Their song "Islands" got to our ears, and we really enjoyed it! It's a solid indie rock track, with great instrumentals and light and effective vocals.
It's time to remeet Greek singer Nicole Saravakou, who has just released a very entertaining new single. "Einai taksidi" is a song which is totally different from what we usually find in Greek pop music, both in melody and instruments. Quite a unique result, with Nicole's talented voice as the cherry on top.
One of Sounds European!'s favorite Swedish artists, Emil Berg, has a new single – and we are very happy about it! "Britney" is a song with beautiful melody and very insightful ambience. Emil's voice completes the mood in a perfect way. Once again, a great song by him!
Sounds European! remeets Dutch singer Pieter van der Zweep, whose previous single "Zal de liefde winnen" was our song of the week in February. Pieter has just released "Dansen", which is a very cool and enthusiastic pop track. Its contagious melody is a true invitation to dance along with the song.
It's time to remeet the beautiful voice of Croatian singer Ivana Kindl. Her new single is entitled "Dobra stvar", and it's a great invitation to travel back in time. The retro spices on the track are delightful, and the entertaining melody is a great complement to them. It's a very fun song.
Sebastian Navrátil is a singer who was born in Munich, but grew up and is developing his career in the Czech Republic. His single "Až na to přijde" is extremely entertaining. Its well-paced melody is very fun, and Sebastian's singing completes the mood perfectly.
Ukrainian star Oleynik has a great new single to offer! "Znayesh'" is a song with beautiful melody, led by a great vocal performance by Oleynik. The beats are involving and contagious, and the overall result is extremely captivating.
Updated on September 12th, 2016, with the official video.
After the addictive "Dança Joana", which was a huge hit in Portugal in 2015, we were all expecting a new release by Filipe Gonçalves. Now, the wait is finally over. Filipe has just released "Ela só quer". And it was surely worth waiting for it: the song is everything we could wish. High-class entertaining pop!
Erin Anttila is a Finnish singer who was born in Helsinki in 1977. She came to prominence being part of pop duo Nylon Beat, which was very popular in Finland in the '90s and 2000s, and started a solo career in 2008. Her new single, entitled "Sydäntä särkee", is smooth and quite entertaining. Its well-paced melody is led by very cool beats. Erin's voice is perfect for it!
Whenever Enrique Iglesias releases a new single, it quickly becomes a worldwide hit. So it's not a surprise to see his "Duele el corazón", featuring Wisin, from Puerto Rico, charting everywhere. This week, in Europe, the song is #1 in Spain, #3 in Switzerland, #4 in Bulgaria, #5 in Belgium and Portugal and #9 in the Netherlands – besides appearing in lower positions in the charts of France, Sweden, Austria and Germany.
Our section for interviews has given us several amazing talks with some of our favorite artists in the continent. Today, we had the pleasure of talking with a member of one of the most distinguished groups to ever emerge from the Portuguese music scene. These are our 10 questions for Luís José Martins, of Deolinda:
Sounds European!: Let's start from the beginning. You are a family which ended up becoming a music group. Tell us about how that happened: what is the family relation among you, and how did you gather to make music? How is the experience of working in family? Are there more pros or more cons?
Luís José Martins (Deolinda): It is true, the project of Deolinda is also a family. There are two brothers who are guitarists (Pedro da Silva Martins and Luís José Martins), who accompany a cousin, who is our lead singer (Ana Bacalhau), along with her husband who plays the contrabass (Zé Pedro Leitão).
There was always a will to make music together. We all had previous experience with projects of Portuguese music. The opportunity of launching a project together appeared after three songs which Pedro wrote thinking about Ana's voice, and then on the first rehearsal we felt there was a strong identity in the songs and in the personality of the group.
SE!: Let’s talk about the name Deolinda. Many people get confused, thinking Deolinda is the lead singer of the group (whose real name is Ana Bacalhau). But Deolinda is a character. How was Deolinda created? And how would you describe her? Is she the only character the group has created? If not, what others? And where did the idea of working with characters come from?
LJM: The character Deolinda was created because the common point of the universe of our music was the feminine point of view - which described, by means of the songs, stories of her neighborhood. This is why it was more natural to name the project after this character.
Throughout our four albums, there are dozens of characters – Toninho, the waitress of the house of fado, the old lady, a DJ, the young lady of "parva que sou" ["how silly I am", in Portuguese], among others.
The use of characters on Deolinda's songs comes from the perspective of the chronicle eye of the character.
SE!: We perceive your music as popular Portuguese music with a plus. Instead of the traditional (at least, this is how the world sees it) melancholy of the genre, your melodies are usually livelier, more upbeat. And there is also the presence of pop, folk and blues. How would you define your own music, in style and genre? What would you like your fans to feel with your music?
LJM: Our music is a giant melting pot of influences, and this is why it is very hard to define a genre or style. The starting point is always the heritage of Portuguese music, from fado to singer-songwriter music, going through folk and pop.
In parallel, each of us tries to bring our own musical personality and our deepest personal influences, and this is why there are pinches of diverse genres - such as jazz, contemporary music and rock in our work.
SE!: A fact which calls our attention is that you depict Portugal in everything which surrounds your work. It is not only your music which has Portuguese characteristics: your lyrics, clothes, the visual work on your shows and video clips... everything has a very distinct local touch. Is highlighting this national identity an objective of yours? Especially when you have shows in other countries, how is the reception of the foreign audience to this identity?
LJM: On a first phase of our project, and for the understanding of the concept, we wanted to focus all our artistic language on the character Deolinda, on her insertion in the local culture. Nowadays, we feel we can free ourselves a bit from that more typical image of the character and take on our personalities more clearly.
SE!: We already talked about our impression of your producing popular Portuguese music with a plus. This is also perceivable on your lyrics. They go beyond what can be usually seen on local traditional music, embracing social interactions, human frailties – many times with irony and humor. What are the topics you like writing about the most? And how does the process of composing your songs work?
LJM: Who composes and writes all lyrics of Deolinda is Pedro da Silva Martins. The inspirations for the songs are varied, but they mainly start with day-to-day observation. The process of building the songs starts with Pedro introducing them to us, still on a simple voice-and-guitar version. Afterwards, we as a group create the arrangements, always with the objective of respecting the song and its subtleties.
"Our music is a giant melting pot of influences, and this is why it is very hard to define a genre or style" (Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: You have already had shows in many countries in the world. Can you name some of them for us? How is the experience of having to transmit a work which has such an important focus on the lyrics of the songs for audiences that do not understand Portuguese?
LJM: Our international route has been wonderful, both regarding the experience of knowing new cultures and the magnificent reception we have had. We have had the chance of playing all around the world (New York, Goa, Macau, Berlin, Paris, Sofia, Stockholm, Rabat, Istanbul, Thessaloniki, São Tomé, Maputo, Chicago, São Paulo, Guanajuato, Johannesburg, among many other cities).
SE!: Going further on the international matter, you have had extremely positive reviews in different countries – such as Brazil and the United Kingdom, for example. How is it to receive this kind of positive reaction from such different places? And what do you want to achieve with your career, beyond what you have already?
LJM: We have had the joy of our work being well received, and of having a loyal audience which praises our work. That is the biggest happiness we can aspire. What we long for is to continue having the privilege of having an attentive audience, and to have them curious and satisfied with our work.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What are Deolinda's next steps the fans can expect?
LJM: At the moment, we are with an intense tour which will take our following months, specially in Portugal. Summer is filled with open-air concerts, and during autumn we will go back to concert halls around the country. At the same time, we have some international dates, with concerts in Brazil, Belgium and Spain.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Portuguese and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourselves, and why?
LJM: It is hard to highlight one song among so many that are special to us, but as a representation of our latest album, "Outras histórias", we'd suggest the single "Corzinha de verão".
Swedish teen star Lisa Ajax is growing at a gigantic rate. After her Melodifestivalen participation, she is now showing us a very different side of her music: "Give me that" is an edgy pop with a very catchy chorus!
We can't resist the sounds of British rock group Young Guns, and here they are, ready to captivate us once again! Their newest single is "Bulletproof", a delivery of their finest rock sounds wrapped with a very intense chorus.
Updated on July 24th, 2016, with the official video.
Anna Teens was born in the city of Tyumen, Russia. She is starting her music career with a very interesting first single. "Molchi" is a very edgy pop, full of electronic beats and with a great melody.
Polish singer Dawid Podsiadlo is keeping the game high. His most recent single shows why he is such a successful artist in Poland: "Pastempomat" is a haunting mix of pop, rock and alternative sounds. David's raspy voice adds a very interesting touch to the blend of sounds.
16-year-old Richard Itsel is a German singer born in the city of Liepzig who gained fame after taking part of the kids' version for The Voice in Germany. His most recent single is a fantastic pop song: "Still mit dir" combines the sounds of contemporary electronic music who are a success worldwide, so we don't doubt Richard will go far!
Born in Pollena Trocchia, near Naples, Lele Esposito gained fame in Italy after taking part of the local version of The Voice and, more recently, of the popular talent show Amici. Lele is now launching his music career with "Through this noise", a song which stands out by the influence of international sounds, allowing him to show all his talent. It's our song of the week!
Sasha Kolos (sometimes referred to as Sasha Colos) is a singer from Stavropol, Russia, but currently based in Los Angeles. Her newest single is "I'm trouble", a mix of pop and jazzy tunes and beats. Definitely, a very classy song!
French singer Sidoine is back, and he returns with another amazing uptempo song! "La chaleur" mixes pop and indie sounds with a very cool chorus and an infectious melody. Definitely one song to dance along and play it in a loop!
Spanish indie music is one of the most high-quality of the continent. And that's exactly what David Otero is offering. Born in Madrid in 1980, he is presenting "Una vez más", a song to pump you with energy from the moment you press play.
Daria Zawiałow is a Polish singer born in Koszalin in 1992 who rose to fame in 2014 after participating in the Polish version of The X Factor. Mixing pop, rock and alternative sounds, she is achieving success in her native country with "Malinowy chrusniak", her most recent single. The mix of sounds and Daria's powerful voice will capture you!
Italian singer Elodie is on fire! She has just released another amazing single. "Amore avrai" is as classy as you can expect, keeping a very Italian essence and showing a more sensual side to Elodie's music.
Svintsoviy Tuman is one of the most popular rock bands in Russia, having been active since 1989 and released several successful albums. Their latest single is "Skazka", a song that is definitely one of the best rocks we've heard from Russia so far this year.
Irish singer and songwriter Hozier is expanding his success with an official soundtrack for the movie "The legend of Tarzan". The song is a very charming indie ballad, as excellent as the ones that made Hozier one of the most famous names in current Irish music scene.
Ermal Meta was born in Fier, Albania, in 1981, though he naturalized Italian and has developed his music career there. He achieved fame thanks to his group La Fame Di Camilla, but now he is pursuing his solo career. His most recent single is "Volevo dirti", a very cool rock track!
Mia Renwall is a Finnish singer born in Espoo but currently developing her work in Helsinki. Her most recent single is "Full circle rainbow", a very sweet and cute pop track. The song became this year's official soundtrack for the Helsinki Pride.
Italian singer Francesca Michielin is back from her Eurovision adventure, and she has already graced us with a new single! "Un cuore in due" retains her mixture of sweetness and intensity, delivering a really classy song. You won't want to miss the video, which also keeps the aesthetics that are Francesca's trademark.
Mitya Fomin is a Russian singer, dancer and producer born in Novosibirsk in 1974. Listen to his most recent single: "Sleduy za solntsem" is a very catchy electropop, of those ones that are inviting for a dance!
Maya Anna Utrugashvili is the real name of Lisa May, a singer and songwriter born in Georgia in 1994. Currently developing her career in Germany, she just released a new single: "Oblivion" is a fantastic indie pop track, filled with a haunting atmosphere and a very captivating melody.
Roger Corbalán took part on the second season of The Voice Kids in his native Spain. He reached the final of the competition, and has since then pursued his music career. His first single is "Hoy", a classic pop ballad with beautiful classic instrumentation.
Every new single by German group Frida Gold gets us really, really excited. And "Wir sing zuhaus" was not the exception. The band switched the catchy pop songs for more intimate and delicate sounds, still retaining their amazing quality.
It was high time to remeet Italian singer Lodovica Comello! And, this time, we're hearing her in her native Italian. Because she has just released "Non cadiamo mai", a song which brings together the best of pop and electronic beats together with a catchy melody and a great chorus!
Marta Bijan is a Polish singer hailing from the city of Sosnowiec. "Mowiles" is her most recent single. It's a beautiful and emotional ballad, with a very tender instrumentation which lets Marta show all the power of her voice.
Remember Slovak singer MISTA? She is finally back to Sounds European!! For her new single, she is teaming up with Henry Tóth, a very famous guitarist born in Bratislava in 1962. The song is "Take me home", a song with haunting verses and a very sensual and deep chorus.
Fréro Delavega are currently one of the most popularly acclaimed indie pop acts in France. Their most recent single, released on early June, is already a big hit: "Le coeur éléphant" has a beautiful orchestration and a lovely arrangement of the guys' voices.
Armenian teen star Betty is growing strong and steady! After representing her country on the 2014 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with "People of the Sun", she is delivering some great electro-pop realness in her new single. "New generation", sung in Armenian, has a very upbeat vibe to put you on your foot instantly!
Italian singer Nesli is back with yet another amazing song! "Equivale all'immenso" mingles pop, rock and some synth sounds at a perfect rate, and combined with the quick vocals in Italian make up a fantastic track!
Hailing from Reading, Eddie Prové is a growing name within the British music scene. He has just released an EP, titled "Silent love", and here is a single extracted from it: "Love for a day" mixes indie, alternative and pop sounds with a very passionate interpretation by Eddie. He is definitely an artist to follow!
Russian singer Sati Kazanova is quickly becoming one of the most popular names on the region. Her most recent single is "Radost', privet!", an upbeat and delicate pop which is already gaining recognition in local charts and media outlets.
Natalia Nykiel is a singer born in Mrągowo, Poland, in 1995. In 2013, she took part of the second edition of The Voice of Poland, arriving until the final of the competition and finishing fourth. After that, her career rocketed, releasing an EP and an album and achieving success in her country with several of her singles. Her most recent one is "Error", an upbeat song with a catchy chorus and a very nice display of Natalia's vocal performance.
Norma Stolz is an Austrian singer from the city of Sankt Jakob In Defereggen. His latest single is the embodiment of the sweet pop produced in the countries of German language: "Träumer" has a soft and catchy melody and a very tender instrumentation.
Spanish star Alvaro Soler is getting extremely popular in Italy. This week, his new hit "Sofia" is leading the Italian charts. The song is also charting in Switzerland (#10), in his home country Spain (#13) and in the Netherlands (#30).
Many times, when we interview an artist, we get to know their personalities better, and we end up admiring them even more. Well, this time, we broke any record, in that sense: SE! had the pleasure of talking to one of the biggest sensations of Swedish pop music, and her answers made us absolutely fall in love with her. These are our 10 questions for Elin Bergman:
Sounds European!: You come from a musical family. Your father and grandfather are musicians. What are your first memories with music? Who were your idols during your childhood? How have your experiences with music at a young age influenced the songs you produce nowadays?
Elin Bergman: I really think the fact that my father has been really into music has made me want to go for it too, and inspired me in a lot of ways during my childhood. The first really strong memory I have was when I was six years old, and my dad and I went to a music store for the first time. He bought me a keyboard and also a lot of MIDI files, so I could sing to a lot of different songs. And ever since, I've basically lived behind the keyboard singing. Since I've never really been taught "how to sing", I guess you can say that it's kind of thanks to that moment that I'm still singing today.
My dad listened to a lot of soul and blues when I was a child, so I think that soul is such a big part of me and what I've been listening to since forever. I always want to keep a bit of soul in my music too. I don't think I really had any big idols, you know. I kind of enjoyed everything that sounded good. I know that I danced a lot to Michael Jackson and one of the first albums I bought, that I remember, was Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds"!
SE!: When did you start singing? And when did it become a profession for you?
EB: I've been singing for as long as I can remember. And that's a funny question, because I don't think that I'm there yet. I still have a lot to learn and experience before I can take that on.
SE!: You come from Umeå, which is a very musical city in Sweden. But, later in your career, you moved to Stockholm. How would you compare working with music and developing a career in Umeå and in Stockholm?
EB: Well, I lived a totally different life in Umeå. So it's kind of hard to compare it with Stockholm. In Umeå, I went to school and studied music with my friends. All I listened to was blues, '60s and '70s rock. We had a few gigs in some trashy places and I just did it all for fun in my free time. Shortly after, I discovered hip hop and that I've been living five minutes away from a studio my whole life (yeah, that's a bummer), so I started going there too. And out of nowhere, I hopped on the Idol-train [taking part of the reality show Idols] to Stockholm. It all happened really fast. Here in Stockholm, it's a lot more serious for me. All of my friends that are producers and writers live here, so I just came here to write some damn good music. But I think you can make it anywhere if you have the right people around you and a strong will.
SE!: You took part of the Swedish Idols in 2013, being the show's runner-up. How was your experience with it? How did you deal with being constantly judged by the audience in a competition? How did it contribute to your career?
EB: Going through all of that nervousness, new perspectives and being judged at the same time could really mess with your head. But in the end, I would say it made me more mature and grown-up. I would also say that being judged all the time made me care less about what other people think. And that's a really important thing to be able to do. Just being confident gives you so much, you know.
SE!: During the show, you explored music of very different genres: Ace of Base, George Michael, Rihanna, White Stripes, Miley Cyrus, Bob Marley... Do you really enjoy all of this variety of genres, or do you identify with some more than others? What kind of music do you prefer working with the most?
EB: I really like variety in music over all, but performing so many different genres isn't my thing. I can understand why they're trying to make it a challenge, entertaining and also letting us experience some new styles. But when I first came to Idol, I knew what I wanted to do, and that was soul/hip hop. So that was a frustrating moment for me when I didn't have a say in what to perform.
"Being judged all the time made me care less about what other people think. And that's a really important thing to be able to do" (Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: Differently from most artists who have positive results on music reality shows, you took a break from everything before releasing a new work. Why did you decide to take this stop? And what did you do in between Idols and your comeback single?
EB: Music is something valuable to me, it's my life. And I don't want to work with music while being so extremely sick of it. Instead, I traveled with my friends, worked and just lived a quiet life in Umeå. Basically just kept on waiting for the time to come when my fingers started itching again and I just couldn't stay away anymore. The Idols show really got the best of me at that time, and I just felt that if I didn't take a break then, I don't know how long I'd be gone. And that's a scary thought. I think you have to know yourself very well and be confident to just put all of your opportunities aside and focus on your well-being instead. And in a matter of time, I guess you could say that I relit my fire and found the passion for music again.
SE!: We are huge fans of Swedish pop. And we feel you add a different edge, a unique power to your music. Is it your intention to mix the kind of pop Sweden is greatly known for, but adding something new to it? How would you like your music to be seen by critics and audience?
EB: Thank you! For me, it's important to bring something new to the table. It's really exciting to find new sounds and I think it's also important for me as an artist to feel that I can express myself in a refreshing way. I just want to get my stories and emotions out there for people to love and relate to.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Swedish and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
EB: Oh wow! Tough question. There are so many great artists out there! But I think some international artists would be Maverick Sabre, MØ, The Weeknd, Jai Paul or Sia. I love their music. There's really no Swedish artist that pops into my head right now, but I think Miike Snow or Teddybears would be badass. Probably Tove Lo or Tove Styrke, too.
SE!: We are sure your fans would like to know: What can we expect from you in 2016?
EB: Actually, I got a new exciting release just around the corner. So keep your eyes and ears open! I can't tell you much more than that, but I'm really looking forward to what 2016 has to offer.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
EB: Of the ones I've released, I think it has to be "Gasoline dream". That's one of the first songs I recorded in a studio, where I also felt that this is the kind of music I want to be doing. So that song means a lot to me.
It's time to remeet one of the most beautiful voices of North Macedonia: Lozano has just released a new single. And it's a great one! "Zena kako ti" is a very interesting mix of Balkan and modern pop music. It all blends quite well, especially because of Lozano's amazing voice. It's very catchy!
There are some artists we really can't miss, and Danish singer Aura Dione (stage name of Maria Louise Joensen, born in Copenhagen in 1985) is one of them. After her big hit "Geronimo", we heard little from her. But she is ready to return and take the worldwide music scene with an addictive pop song! "Love somebody" has a funky and contemporary melody and a catchy chorus, two ingredients that are set to succeed!
Jeremy? are a Bulgarian band from the cities of Kavarna, Dobrich and Sofia, formed by Ersin Mustafov, Tasho Kolev, Rosen Vatev and Emo Bonev. We have just had the opportunity of listening to their single "Two weeks to the great escape", and we fell in love with it. It's strong and smooth at the same time, and totally involving. Highly addictive!
Romanian singer Alina Eremia returns to Sounds European! with a really lovely single. "De ce ne indragostim" is a delicate blend of pop and R&B, which highlights Alina's lovely voice.
Dagny is a singer hailing from Tromsø, a city in the North of Norway. Currently developing her career in London, she has just popped up with "Backbeat". The song is a contagious pop number, with a fantastic melody and a very catchy chorus. We shouldn't forget about the clapping, which gets as addictive as it can sound. No wonder that this is our song of the week!
Danish boyband Page Four has just released a new single, and they are better than ever! "17 år" is, in our opinion, their best song to date. Solid pop with great melody and a highly catchy chorus, wrapped in amazing vocal performance by the boys. We love it!
Czech-born singer Ewa Farna is back with yet another amazing song! "Na ostrzu" plays between pop and rock, it has an amazing melody and it really shows all the power of Ewa's voice. Simply addictive! For checking the version of this song in Czech (the video below presents the Polish version), click here.
After more than a year, Sounds European! finally remeets Slovene band Tabu. They have a new single, and let us tell you: what a great one it is! "Do kosti" is a grower rock track, which starts calm and soothing, and goes up until exploding in a very powerful and exciting conclusion. Amazing song!
Karetus are a Portuguese trio formed in 2010 by DJs and music producers Carlos Silva and André Reis, who were later joined by MC Paulo Silva. They have just released "Wall of love" together with Portuguese star Diogo Piçarra. It's a very exciting electronic song. The chorus is quite catchy.
Nope, we're not drunk (yet). After Alma from Sweden, meet ALMA from Finland. She hails from Helsinki, currently basing her music career in Berlin. Her most recent single is "Karma", a soft mixture of synth sounds and pop with a very catchy chorus and one of the most captivating voices you have heard so far.
Updated on November 27th, 2016, with the official video.
Reigning Days are a three-piece band from the English county of Devon, in the United Kingdom. They have just released a self-titled EP earlier this month. From it, we have the single "Empire", which is a sample of their great and powerful rock 'n' roll. What a song, what a chorus!
Nejc Lombardo is a Slovene singer born in Ljubljana in 1987. He rose to fame after taking part of the fifth edition of the local version of Got Talent last year, together with Miha Plantarič. After the show, he continued with his career, and is now releasing a new single. "Repeat" is a beautiful pop ballad!
LÉON is a singer from Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Meet her newest single: "Tired of talking" mix indie pop, soul and very light R&B tunes, always wrapped with a very high-quality vocal performance.
Greek singer Giorgos Giannias has just released a new song. "O enikos" is everything you can expect of pop from Greece: intense and involving, with a lot of strength on the chorus and an interesting mix of pop-rock and folk instruments. It's a very good track!
Emilija Kokić is a Croatian singer born in the city of Zadar in 1968. She reached continental fame in 1989, as part of the group Riva, when they won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Rock me". After that, she launched her solo career and became a popular name in the Balkans. Her most recent single is "Druga", a true Balkan delicacy!
It's time to have a lot of fun with the new single by Czech singer Pavel Callta. "Song pro tebe" has a very entertaining and addictive uptempo melody, which is nicely completed by Pavel's solid vocal work. The variations of tempo and style during the song make it all even more special.
Updated on August 12th, 2018, with the official video.
Sounds European! remeets Polish singer Szymon Chodyniecki, with his new single "Z calych sil". It's a very entertaining pop song. The melody is very fun and delightful, the instrumentals are light and effective, and Szymon's great voice is the perfect wrapping for it all. Great song!
Forget about the summer songs and the parties by the pool: Icelandic group Of Monsters and Men have other plans for you. "Winter sounds", their new single, is here to take you back inside to enjoy a cosy cup of coffee with this marvelous indie piece!
Spanish girl power attacks again! Sweet California's new single is becoming a huge hit, and we can clearly understand why. "Good lovin'" is a groovy "modern meets retro" pop song with extremely entertaining melody, plus the usual great vocal performance by the three girls.
Hannah Trigwell is a British singer and songwriter born in Leeds in 1990 who gained popularity on YouTube uploading covers of various songs. She is now propelling her music career with "Another beautiful mistake", a sweet and tender pop song which mixes a gentle guitar and Hannah's beautiful voice.
Updated on October 17th, 2016, with the official video.
Alma is a singer from Stockholm, Sweden. She mixes pop with trip-hop and electronic beats, and that is quite very well appreciated in her single "I do it 4 you": an anthemic and captivating pop track with a killer chorus!
Europe is in full football mode, with the exciting UEFA Euro 2016 taking place in France. And, as usual, some artists prepare great music for this kind of tournament. It's the case of German singer and musician Fabian Bruck, who has released "Noch einmal" for his country's national team in the competition. It's surely as anthemic as a song with this intent should be!
Buslav is a Polish band formed by members from Rogoźno and Warsaw. Their most recent single is "Searching for you", a song which mixes rock, pop and folk sounds to convey an anthemic track!
James Robb is a British singer and songwriter from Hitchin. He has recently released "Flamethrower", the first single taken from his forthcoming EP, to be released later this year. It's a great song, perfectly led by his soulful voice and very deep instrumentals.
Taking Bulgaria to its best result ever on Eurovision Song Contest, a fourth place, has surely made the country proud of Poli Genova: her "If love was a crime" is leading the Bulgarian charts this week.
American metal band Disturbed are starting to get their single "The sound of silence" in European charts. This week, they are #1 in Austria and #5 in Portugal, besides lower placements (but still in the top 100) in Germany and Sweden.
North Macedonia is living a special moment in music, with several great divas releasing amazing songs. One of them is Elena Milenkovska, with "Ti mi rece ne". It's a well-paced pop song with a very rousing chorus. Its overall result is extremely entertaining. It's surely a must-listen!
MIIA is the stage name of Mia Brubakken, a great young talent who was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1997. Her single "Dynasty" is pop at its best. Its melody is deep, modern and involving, and it builds the perfect setting for MIIA's excellent voice to shine. We love it!
Strelki are a Russian pop music group formed in 1997, following the success of the Spice Girls around the world. After many years, the original formation of the group has gathered once again in 2016. And they have just released "Vlyublennyy muzhchina". It's a very entertaining uptempo song.
Spanish duo Fuel Fandango is preparing a new album, which is set to be released next spring. While we wait, they have already released a song from it. And get ready, because "Salvaje" is a masterpiece of indie electropop music! It's the perfect melody to get you involved and in love after a single listen. Nita's voice is outstanding on the track!
Sounds European! remeets Greek diva Kaiti Garbi, who has just released a new single. It's a very entertaining version to the already fun "Disko partizani". The use of local Greek instruments, along with Kaiti's voice, gives a different perspective (but as great as the original) for the song.
What happens when two of our favorite names in a country gather to release a single, and it is one of their best ones ever? Of course: it becomes our song of the week! Finnish stars Robin Packalen and Softengine have presented us "Salamatie". What a masterpiece it is! Great melody, addictive chorus, entertaining ambience... everything on this track is top quality!
Updated on February 17th, 2019, with the new stage name of the artist.
Elena Risteska, who was born in Skopje in 1986, is one of the most important names in the Macedonian music scene. We were extremely happy to know she has released a new song. And we got even happier after listening to it. "Nemas pravo ti da mi sudis" is an excellent track, with classy instrumentals and melody and a unique vocal performance by Elena. Simply outstanding!
German group Elaiza has got a new single. It's entitled "Hurricane", and it's for sure our favorite song ever by them. They took their usual mix of pop and folk to a new level, with a very entertaining melody and an excellent chorus. We love it!
Jadranka Barjaktarovic is a Montenegrin singer from Berane. Her new single, "Kad ljubav zaplace", is the best you can expect from Balkan folk pop. It has a perfect and irresistible mix of local instruments and uptempo pop melody.
Belarusian star Alexander Rybak is ready to show all his versatility with his new single "Abrazame". On it, Alexander is not only singing in Spanish (very good Spanish, by the way), but also exploring the romantic sounds which are very common in Latin countries. Quite an impressive job, we must say!
It's time to party hard! Spanish singer Natalia's new single is ready to take your body off your chair and to the nearest dancefloor. "No fui una más" has an extremely entertaining and inviting dance melody, with great instrumentals and powerful vocals.
Nina Söderquist is a Swedish musical singer from Alfta. She is also known for having taken part of Melodifestivalen in 2009. Nina's song "Kärlek" is purely addictive! It's a very intense pop-rock with very strong melody and a quite captivating chorus.
Željko Vasić is a Serbian singer who was born in Zaječar in 1979. He debuted on the local music scene in 2000. His new single, entitled "Najmanje", is a beautiful Balkan ballad. The instrumentals used in this song are classy and very touching. The overall result is quite charming and endearing.
It's finally time to remeet Bulgarian new star Mihaela Marinova, who was included in our list of the 50 best songs of 2015 with the amazing "Stapka napred". This time, Mihaela offers us "Ne ti li stiga", which is a very powerful ballad. Her voice is outstanding in it.
Once again, group Otra Puse and singer Antra Stafecka, from Latvia, gathered to release a song. "Es tev" is a delightful song which has a very light and charming melody. Putting male and female vocals together in a song isn't usually the easiest task one can have. But Otra Puse and Antra Stafecka do it to perfection!
Delia is, without a doubt, one of the main names of the current music scene in Romania. Her most recent single is "Ceai, mami", a song which explores the deep beats of R&B and the versatility of Delia's voice. The aesthetics of the video clip are also worth to highlight.
No, we're not going crazy. Dani Martin returned to music with not one, but TWO amazing singles. We've already shown you "Las ganas", but now it's time to meet "Dibujas". This song is a more intimate and delicate ballad, still retaining a more intense chorus.
Moldovan artist Arsenium confirms his status as one of the most popular singers in Eastern Europe with the release of his latest single. "Tol'ko s toboy" is a very catchy pop, with a soft base in the verses and a very upbeat electronic tempo in the chorus.
Tom Dice, born Tom Eeckhout in the city of Eeklo in 1989, is a Belgian singer and songwriter. He rose to fame in 2008, after finishing as the runner up of the Flemish version of The X Factor. In 2010, he represented Belgium on the Eurovision Song Contest, achieveing a then historical sixth place with "Me and my guitar". Here is his most recent single: "Right between the eyes" explores alternative and indie sounds in the frame of a sweet pop-rock track.
Hailing from Ukraine, Marietta Ways (the stage name of Marietta Ivanova) is a singer and TV presenter. Here is her most recent single. "Míy navíki" is a deep and intense pop ballad which creates a lovely atmosphere to anybody listening to it.
Land of Stars is a new band hailing from Transilvania. Formed in late 2015, their first single is already taking Romania by storm: "Final neinceput", in which they feature also rising singer Kaszanova, is a perfect mixture of pop and rock. The power of the melody is simply outstanding, and the chorus has that anthemic feeling that few people can resist!
Swiss singer Anna Rossinelli released a new single last April. And we're so happy to hear her back to the gracious indie pop tunes! "King Mustafa" is a very cheerful, yet relaxed, song, and we are more than sure that you'll find it hard not to clap along!
There is no single by Russian singer Slava that we don't adore at first listen. That is the case with "Krasnyy": the song is all you can expect from local pop, but it has that plus that only Slava's raspy voice can add!
Updated on August 27th, 2016, with the official video.
Known for her daring melodies and contagious songs, Swedish singer Ace Wilder is turning to a very different sound for her most recent single. "Selfish" is a calmer, more relaxed pop track, still retaining the edgy side Ace always adds to her music.
Ukrainian pop duo neAngely confirms, with every new single, their status as one of the top ensembles in the Eastern European region. Their most recent song is "Ty leti leti", a pop song which combines class and dance beats in an amazing rate!
Mihai Chitu is a Romanian singer hailing from Bucharest. For his most recent single, he gathered with DOMG, a duo of producers who also come from Bucharest. The song is "In al noualea cer", a pop track which mixes amazing R&B beats.
Kaleo is an Icelandic band formed in 2012 in Mosfellsbær. They are enjoying a big international success due to their mellow sounds and captivating songs, such as they gift us in their latest single. "Way down we go" is a relaxed tune, filled with emotions and perfect for a chill-out session after a hard day!
Meet a rising name within Russian pop scene. Olga Zadonskaya, from Vladimir, took part of the fourth season of Golos, the local version of The Voice. She ended up third, and used the show as a trampoline for her career. Her first single is "Lyubov' i bol'", a song which has a lovely melody and a very cool and catchy chorus.
Born in Żywiec, Poland, in 1987, Monika Brodka rose to fame after winning the third season of the Polish Idols, back in 2003. Her string of hits turned her into one of the most popular singers in her country, having constant success with all of her releases. Her most recent single is "Horses", a haunting song which mixes indie and alternative sounds.
Peter Bjorn and John are one of the most popular indie-pop groups from Sweden. Their most recent single shows why: "What you talking about" has a very nice melody and a very catchy chorus, adding to a really good song!
British DJ and producer Calvin Harris is teaming up with Barbadian superstar Rihanna for his newest single. And let us tell you, the song is already hitting the jackpots in almost every European country: #10 in France, #9 in Belgium, #8 in Austria, #6 in Germany and Norway, #4 in Denmark, #3 in the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom, and #2 in Ireland!
Swedish electronic music producers Galantis have been conquering Europe with "No money", their most recent single. The song is currently charting as #10 in Denmark and the Netherlands, #9 in Norway, #5 in Ireland and #4 in the United Kingdom!
Belgian singer Selah Sue is still promoting her very successful second album, "Reason". The latest single to emerge from it is the one that gave name to the whole work: "Reason" is a jazzy pop song, completed with the lovely raspiness of Selah's voice.
Hailing from Amsterdam, Steffen Morrison came to fame in 2013, after taking part of the fourth season of the Dutch version of The Voice. After being eliminated on the live shows, he kept working on music, and not long ago presented his latest single. "Do it all again" is a track which exudes soul and passion, with a retro feeling which makes it delightful!
After some time without releasing any single, Spanish singer Dani Martin returned with a really mind-blowing new track. "Las ganas" is a powerful rock track, which explodes in one of the most anthemic choruses released in Spain this year.
Updated on July 18th, 2016, with the official video.
French singer Brice Conrad is showing us more songs from his latest studio album, "2". Earlier in May, he released "Tu t'en souviens", a song which plays between French classy pop and contemporary international sounds. The chorus is super catchy, and the instrumentation of the whole track is simply beautiful!
Elodie di Patrizi is an Italian singer who was born in Rome. She took part of the popular talent show Amici last year, eventually ending in second place. Her first single shows the qualities which helped her almost win the competition: "Un'altra vita" is the quintessential Italian ballad, with tender verses and an explosive chorus!
