British diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor is back! She is promoting her upcoming greatest hits album, "Songs from the kitchen disco", which takes after a series of videos Sophie did while quarantined. The lead single for the release is "Crying at the discotheque", a cover from the 2000 hit from Alcazar, and it is exactly what you're thinking about: a fabulous way to pick you up from any mood and have you shaking your booty!
Updated on October 30th, 2020, with the official video.
YOANA is Yoana Dimitrova, a Bulgarian singer hailing from the city of Montana. She was the runner-up of the latest season of The X Factor in Bulgaria. Meet her with her single "Nyamat lyubov". It's an excellent electropop song, with intense, marking beats, and a very captivating chorus. We love it!
Swedish-born Greek diva Helena Paparizou returns to our site with an empowering new single. "Se xeno soma" is a heartfelt ballad in which she talks about listening and trusting ourselves, our bodies and our souls.
Mihăiță Chiriac and Vlad Sabajuc are MIHAITA, a duo formed in Chișinău in 2019. We have recently discovered their single "Solstitiu (O - maleh!)", and we fell for its funky take on indie-pop sounds. Summer may be over in Europe, but we surely can still feel it with this tune!
Giant Rooks are a band formed in Hamm, Germany, by Frederik Rabe, Finn Schwieters, Luca Göttner, Jonathan Wischniowski and Finn Thomas. They are promoting their debut album, "Rookery", with a fantastic single: "All we are" is a fantastic celebration of indie pop-rock sounds!
Melanie C is back with a new single. It's "Fearless", featuring Nadia Rose, a British rapper and songwriter who was born in Croydon in 1993. It's a cool pop song with a fresh melody. The claps in it are irresistible!
Gökhan Mandır, Kaya Sevinç, Hakan Ünalan and Barış Ceylan are Pera, a Turkish band formed in Ankara. Their edgy take on rock is put on display in "Melek", their most recent single. It includes intense verses and a very interesting lead melody in the chorus!
Julia is a French singer who was born in Ayse in 2001. She first rose to prominence during the second season of The Voice Kids in France. She lost in the phase of battles, but her talent caught the attention of Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat. They sign her single "Et toi mon amour", which is absolutely marvelous!
Mikk Kaasik, Kaspar Kiisk, Raner Kiisk, Mattias Mäesalu are Efektiiv, a new band hailing from Estonia. Meet them with "Tõsta üles käed". It's a wonderful rock song, with the classic instrumentals of the genre: the mix of piano and guitar is simply delightful!
This song doesn't have an official video on YouTube, but you can listen to it on Spotify.
Azeri singer Eldar Gasimov is back to Sounds European! to show us a fantastic new single. We are talking about "Catch if you fall", a ballad with enigmatic verses and an explosive chorus that lets Eldar explore his vocal power.
Latvian band Triana Park is back to our site with a catchy new single. We're talking about "Vientuļa sala", a mid-tempo, bass-led alternative song that has a uniquely captivating beat. The song is part of their upcoming EP release, "Kompozīcijas".
Time to enjoy the latest single by Russian singer Julia Parshuta! She has just released "Amieli", an intense ballad which creates a noir atmosphere thanks to both the instrumentation and Julia's deep vocal performance.
Sounds European! remeets Norwegian singer Hanne Leland. She has just released a new single, entitled "Water". It's a strong electropop song with fun claps leading an irresistible melody. It's such an addictive track!
Liimo is an Edinburgh-based trio formed by CJ, Jamo and Kieran. Their feel-good kind of pop blooms in their latest single, "Miracle", which boasts perfectly combined retro and synth sounds.
Single after single, Oscar Enestad has been showing he is one of the most solid artists in the current Swedish music scene. His latest release, "Se på oss nu", proves it once again. It's a well-paced mid-tempo pop song with great, fresh instrumentals and a melody that hooks you from the second it starts until the very end. We love it!
We remeet Austrian duo Zweikanalton! They have just released "Rosen, alles gut", a quirky pop-rock with a really entertaining chorus that talks about the course of a relationship, exuding an uplifting mood.
Updated on October 3rd, 2020, with the official video.
Bulgarian singer Lubo Kirov is back to our site with a new single. We are talking about "Ti mozhesh". It's a delightful retro pop song with smooth verses and a very captivating chorus. It's impossible not to dance with it!
Boris Rogoznica is a Croatian singer hailing from Zagreb. Meet him with his single "Samo tebe ljubio". It's a very entertaining song! The melody is well-paced and exciting, and the chorus is marking and memorable.
We couldn't be more excited by the return of Steps! The British five-piece is getting ready to present their latest studio album, and they have just released its first single. "What the future holds" (which is also the name of the album) is an explosion of dance, electronic sounds and pop that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to end. It's our song of the week!
Diogo Lopes is SYRO, a Portuguese pop and alt-pop artist, singer, songwriter and drummer from Barreiro. We've just got to listen to his single "Acordar", and we couldn't be more in love with it. It's a passionate pop song, with a well-paced, highly involving melody, a breathtaking chorus and a flawless vocal performance. It's stupendous!
Spanish singer Rozalén has a beautiful new single to share. "Y busqué" talks about our inner fight to find our way in life, and how we can find the answer within ourselves. Musically, the message is enhanced by a growing, soft pop-rock melody and Rozalen's emotional, raspy voice.
We are living a huge retro wave in pop music. But few artists have a voice and an original style that fit this trend as perfectly as Loïc Nottet. "TWYM" proves it once again. It's like he was born to make this kind of song!
Sverrir Bergmann Magnússon, Halldór Gunnar Pálsson, Óskar Þormarsson, Valdimar Olgeirsson and Halldór Smárason are Albatross, an Icelandic band from Reyjavík. Meet them with their outstanding single "Já það má". It's a great pop-rock song, with very entertaining influences of '80s music, both in the way the melody is worked and in the way synth elements are added to the instrumentals. The result is awesome!
Denmark has a great new hit playing all over the radios. We've just checked it out, and we couldn't be more addicted to it. It's NOAH's "Ensom forevigt". The song is a cool pop with a fresh melody and a smooth ambience. Troels's voice fits the song's enjoyable mood perfectly!
Norwegian singer Julie Bergan has just released two singles at once. The combo includes two pop bangers that show Julie's musical versatility: while "All of them" is a contemporary, minimalistic electro-pop, "One touch" (featured below) has an explosive chorus that made us groove along!
Saša Lešnjek is a Slovene singer from Dol pri Ljubljani. We are completely in love with her single "Kaj pa, če te ne najdem več". The song, written by her and her husband, Alex Volasko, is a sweet pop with a delightful, happy vibe and a very inviting melody. The chorus is so cute, it's impossible not to open a huge smile to it!
Irma Jurgelevičiūtė is a Lithuanian singer who was born in Kaunas in 1972. Listen to her latest single, "Nemiegu". It's a song that offers a perfect meet of current pop music and classic schlager elements. The result is very enjoyable!
Italian rock star Ligabue returns to our site with "La ragazza dei tuoi sogni". His latest single features relaxed verses that converge in an explosion of instruments in the chorus. The song is a teaser for a new album, which will be released later this year.
Sycamore Tree are Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir and Gunni Hilmarsson, a duo hailing from Reykjavík. Listen to their country-inspired sounds in "Home again", their latest single. The song is a melancholic ballad that will set you in the right mood to enjoy the upcoming European autumn.
Wesley Klein is a Dutch singer who was born in Leiderdorp in 1988. He rose to prominence when he won the second season of the talent show Popstars. His latest single, "Tegen de stroom", is Dutch folk pop at its best: we love its catchy melody, fresh melody and fun instrumentals!
Peter Juhás is a Slovak singer and songwriter from Lučenec. He was a finalist of season three of the Czech and Slovak version of The Voice. Listen to his latest release, "Mávam". It's a great folk singer-songwriter song!
It's time to check a great song coming from Denmark. We have just got to listen to Maximillian's single "Still alive". And we couldn't be more in love with it! It's a deep and involving ballad with a smooth ambience and a heartfelt vocal performance.
Turkish singers Zeynep Bastık and Emir Can İğrek make a stunning return to Sounds European!! They collaborated in "Dargın", a song in which they explore ethnic, intimate ballad sounds.
Time to check up on British singer Lewis Knaggs! He has just released a brand new single, entitled "I'll survive". The song is a melting pot of nostalgic tunes in which Lewis explores the whirlwind of emotions associated with the loss of a loved one.
It's time to land in Spain, to listen to a song that's becoming a huge hit in the country. We are talking about "Sueño", by Beret and Pablo Alborán. It's clear why it's such a hit: the song is pop-rock at its best! It has a very captivating and involving melody, especially during the chorus.
Swedish singer Victor Crone has been releasing some songs, and they are truly great. Besides "This can't be love", which is getting some cool airplay, we now highlight "Yes, I will wait". It's an effective smooth electropop song with a very endearing melody and a cool modern chorus.
This song doesn't have an official video on YouTube, but you can listen to it on Spotify.
Isac Elliot is living a wonderful moment. After making us fully addicted to "Weekend", he's back with "Ghost", and it's going the same way with us! It's an outstanding, fresh pop song, involving and inviting, in all senses. The melody, the chorus, the vocal work... everything in it is extremely catchy!
Updated on October 4th, 2020, with the official lyrics video.
Patrisha is Patrīcija Ksenija Cuprijanovič, a Latvian singer from Kalngale. Fall in love with her latest single, "Daudz par daudz". It's an irresistible pop song, with a solid melody, great instrumentals and a very cool chorus.
It's time to listen to another wonderful release by Zé Tó Lemos. The Portuguese composer has just dropped "Different worlds (A collection of sounds from different worlds)". It's a symphonic track which takes you to travel in between different worlds of sounds. It's one of those enjoyable tracks that get you hypnotized in no time.
Ana Whiterose is the stage name of Anastacia Gaillard, a Swiss singer hailing from Montreux. Her career started last year with the hit single "Behind the moon", and now we're getting to know another amazing sample of her music. "Ying yang" brings contemporary pop with Chinese sounds that combine beautifully with Ana's delicate vocal performance.
Ingó Veðurguð is the stage name of Ingólfur Þórarinsson, an Icelandic artist from Selfoss. Meet him with "Takk fyrir mig", a grandiose pop-rock song with an extremely enjoyable chorus. It's impossible not to get fully caught by it!
This song doesn't have an official video on YouTube, but you can listen to it on Spotify.
Belarusian star Ruslan Alekhno has just released a new track. And it's an exciting one! "Nebo linii" is an energetic pop song with great spices of pop-rock in the instrumentals.
It's time to remeet Greek star Malu and enjoy her latest single. We are talking about "Agyristo kefali". It's a very energetic pop song with amazing folk elements and an extremely contagious chorus.
Norwegian superstar Astrid S has another superb single on offer. It's entitled "Marilyn Monroe". The song is a very involving electropop with a modern and very effective melody, especially during the chorus.
Synne Valtri Band is an Estonian band led by Synne Valtri, and also composed of Toomas Laur, Jaanus Viskar and Gert-Gregor Källo. Meet them with their single "Nii jääda võiks me". It's a captivating pop-rock song with a very catchy melody.
Calvin Harris and The Weeknd got together to record and release a new single. And the result is as amazing as one could expect! "Over now" is a smooth pop song with a sexy vibe and a touch of retro which fits it all perfectly.
Italian star Emma has just released a new single. And its title explains what it is about better than anything else! "Latina" is a song which takes the Latin vibe which is so present in current pop and brings it to Emma's unique music style. The result is great!
German band Revolverheld jumps to the bandwagon of '80s-inspired sounds in their latest single. In "Leichter", the quartet combines their style with the aesthetics of legendary bands from the decade to convey a very interesting rock track. Its lyrics talk about the moment of a relationship where you feel there is nothing to be explained and you can understand and accept each other as you are.
Two of the biggest new stars of the Polish music scene gathered for the official soundtrack of the movie "Jak zostać gwiazdą". We're talking about Natalia Zastępa and Marcin Sójka, whose single "Ślady" is a tender ballad in which they can explore all the shades of their voices.
Once again, we meet Danish star Nicklas Sahl. And once again, we are completely taken by a new single of his! "Say it back" offers an excellent melody, perfectly filled by great instrumentals and a wonderful vocal performance.
It's finally time to remeet Russian star Alexey Vorobyov, with his latest single. It's "Alonka", a song that takes Alexey's enthusiastic vibe and applies it to a fresh and very cool guitar-led melody. The result is awesome!
Italian band Modà has just released a stupendous new single. We are talking about "Cuore di cemento". It's a wonderful rock song with a captivating melody and a huge chorus, led by grandiose instrumentals. We love it to bits: it's our song of the week!
Luca Kuglmeier is an up-and-coming talent from Germany. Born in Plattling in 2002, he gained popularity after reaching the finals of the fifth edition of The Voice Kids in his country. We recently came upon his latest single: "Sophie" is a captivating pop ballad with intense beats and a lovely use of string instruments in the chorus.
King & Potter are an Austrian pop duo based in Vienna. Meet them with their outstanding latest single, "Berlin". The song is pop-rock at its best. What a melody, what a chorus!
Lord Siva is a Danish singer who was born in Aalborg in 1989. We have just got to listen to his latest single, "Solhverv", and we cannot stress it enough: it's one of the best songs of this current trend of retro pop music we're having! It's an irresistible track, from first to last second.
Sometimes, it takes us long to get to listen to a song. But when we do, we like it so much, and we get so addicted, it's impossible for us not to share it with the readers. It's exactly what happened with "Como si fueras a morir mañana", Leiva's last release in 2019. The song is pop-rock at its best! It's exciting, strong and extremely catchy.
We can't resist to sanah's music! The Polish rising star has recently released a new single, and once again we are completely hooked. "No sory" has that hypnotic vibe that meets her voice in a way that it seems one could only fit and be with the other, and nothing else. It's breathtaking!
With Little Mix, every day is a holiday! And their new single delivers everything one can expect. "Holiday" is a perfect sample of current pop music: it's catchy and involving, with an energetic yet smooth vibe.
Born in the city of Os in 1996, Hans-Marius Johnsen is a Norwegian contemporary rock artist. Next October, he will present a new EP, and we can already hear a single from it: "Stay within range" is a raw rock ballad that shows HM's heartfelt interpretation.
Greek singer Nikos Ganos has recently released a new single. And it's a marvelous one! "Monos mou" is a highly involving ballad with grandiose instrumentals and a flawless vocal performance. The result is beautiful!
Russian singer Vladimir Presnyakov is back to our site with a great new single. It's entitled "Strannaya". It's a well-paced song with a fresh melody and a very exciting chorus. We love it!
Updated on September 26th, 2020, with the official video.
Bilal Hassani is getting ready for the release of his latest album, "Contre soirée", due next November. While in the waiting, he has just shown us a single from it: "Tom" brings a synth pop song with calm verses and a more agitated chorus in which instruments and Bilal's voice bloom!
Two great stars of Moldova and Romania got together to release a new single. We are talking about "Dragoste, va rog!", by Cleopatra Stratan and Edward Sanda. It's a fresh pop song with an inviting melody and a chorus that is quite marking. Their voices work very well together!
German group Feuerherz has just released a new single. And we have no doubt: it's set to become a huge hit! "Ich nenn es liebe" is an excellent sample of the best schlager has to offer. We are totally in love with it.
It's time to listen and fall in love with Antonio José's latest single. We are talking about "Ando perdido". It's a catchy pop song with a very passionate vocal performance and a strong chorus.
Amy Wald is an Austrian singer from Vienna. Meet her with her single "Mehr als nur ein like". It's a groovy pop song with an irresistible melody and a very fun chorus.
Ukrainian singer Ani Lorak has a new single to show us! We're talking about "Tvoyey lyubimoy", a captivating pop with a moving melody. The official video includes the acting debut of Ani's 9-year-old daughter, Sofia.
Finnish pop diva Kaija Koo is back with a very entertaining new single. "Hullut päivät" aims to bring you back to your happiest memories and just enjoy yourself, all wrapped around super fun pop tunes. Don't miss the videoclip for an even more exhilarating experience!
Swedish singer Vera Hotsauce has finally released her debut album. "Hot n saucy" includes collaborations with Oscar Scheller and the Diplo-affiliated Moving Castle producer collective, as well as several tracks our site has previously presented. And we celebrate the release with the very strong "Ricochet".
"This album is telling a story about an era", says Vera. "I wrote this album mostly drunk in LA and all the songs on it is what I've been feeling in the very moment in the studio. This is where you get to know me, this is where I give you a glimpse of who I am. I think it's gonna take years to actually understand what and who I am. But here you have the introduction. Welcome to the 'Hot n saucy' life".
Updated on October 11th, 2020, with the official video.
Sounds European! remeets Bulgarian group 4Magic. The girls have recently released "XO XO", and we are completely hooked. It's a groovy, inviting pop song with a very catchy melody.
German singer Sotiria has just released a new single. And we love it to bits! "Einfach nur ein mädchen" is a highly captivating song, with a chorus which sticks in the head after the very first listen.
Spanish singer Vanesa Martín is soon presenting a new studio album, "Siete veces sí". And while we wait to see her whole work, she has just released its first single: "... Y vuelo" brings an uplifting pop ballad whose lyrics talk about daring to face what's next in life.
British singer Foxes is having a momentous 2020! Her third single this year brings a lovely tune: "Friends in the corner" is an uplifting downtempo pop that shows her powerful vocals.
About the song, Foxes herself says that it is "about friendship, love, loss, and the recognition of how impermanent life is. In a world where connection has become so challenging we need to remember to keep each other close".
Vaidas Baumila and Mark Les have collaborated in a great single. We're talking about "Mergaitė", a delicious synth-pop ballad that will give you a lovely flashback!
Lemo brings a delicious take on retro sounds. In his new single, entitled "Schwarze wolken", the Austrian artist delivers synth pop-rock realness with an infectious beat and a really captivating melody.
Nil Karataş was born in Adana, Turkey, in 1984. In her most recent single, she brings lovely ethnic pop: "Sana güvenmiyorum" has that unmistakeable Turkish flavor that makes our knees weak!
Bilal, Håkon, Sebastian, Helge and Vegard are NorthKid, a Norwegian boyband formed in the city of Alta in 2016. Their most recent single really caught our attention: "Talk about us" is a powerful pop with synth and soft retro vibes.
Kombii is a Polish pop rock band created in 2003 by three former members of the group Kombi. Their career includes several successful albums and singles, of which "Przetrwamy" is the latest. The song draws influence from retro synth pop-rock to create a soft, anthemic ballad.
Sounds European! remeets Italian singer Matteo Faustini. He has just released "Il cuore incassa forte". And with it, he clearly shows his previous single wasn't an accident: his voice sounds like it was born for beautiful, heartfelt ballads!
Time to check out the new single by German singer Madeline Juno! We're talking about "Obsolet", a downtempo pop which holds a very intimate message, as Madeline conveys in a heartfelt interpretation of the videoclip.
Daniela Varela, José Camacho, Pedro Marques and Vasco Corisco are Flor-de-Lis, a Portuguese group from Lisbon. Formed in 2008, their songs offer a wonderful mix of Portuguese folk and world music. That's exactly what you'll find in their latest single, "Acontecer". It's a very strong folk song with intense instrumentals and a unique ambience.
Spanish singer Dani Martin returns to our site with "Portales". The song takes us through a journey of emotions: its soft first verses explode in a rock ballad that talks about all the places that make us think back to when we felt fully free.
We can never get enough of Paloma Faith's music. And with singles like her new one, "Better than this", we never will: it's excellent! It's a heartfelt ballad with a flawless, grandiose and imposing vocal performance by Paloma.
Updated on September 18th, 2020, with the official video.
French singer Calogero returns to Sounds European! with a fantastic new single. In "La rumeur", he performs a bouncy kind of pop-rock with a claptastic (pun intended) blend of instruments. It's addictive!
We remeet German duo TOCHTER with another infectious single! We're talking about "Repeat", a song with a groovy melody that will have you bobbing your head up and down to the rhythm!
Mariliis Jõgeva is an Estonian singer hailing from the city of Võru. Listen to her most recent single: "Päikest täis" is a relaxed pop with reminiscences of schlager, especially in the chorus. It's lovely!
Javy Ramírez is a young Spanish singer hailing from Barbate, a municipality in the province of Cádiz. Javy rose to prominence as a participante of 2020's season of Operación Triunfo. We've just got to listen to his single "La frase", and we couldn't be more in love with it. It's an exciting pop-rock song with that unique energy only Spanish singers seem to know how to add to the genre. It's excellent: it's our song of the week!
Jack Curley is a British singer and songwriter from Manchester. We are completely in love with his single "I'm here for you". It's the perfect singer-songwriter song. It offers an awesome melody, a flawless vocal performance, a huge ambience... there's absolutely nothing missing!
Time to remeet Swedish singer Wiktoria! She delivers an empowering message in "Me", an enticing piece of bass-driven pop that will have you hooked in no time.
It's finally time to remeet Xavi. And there could not be a better way for it: the German singer's new single is absolutely amazing! "Wissen wofür" is a soft mid-tempo ballad which explores his smooth voice in a wonderful way.
Nika Zorjan brings a taste of Slovene heat in her latest single! "Svima po mojito" mixes a very entertaining beat with an unmistakeable Latin flavor. Combined with a very colorful video, we have a dazzling summer hit!
Ilya Zakharov, Vladimir Zhirnov, Mikhail Bichurin and Ruslan Nekhai are Progulshiki, a Russian band from Kazan. Meet them with their excellent single "Letnyaya". It's an extremely fun rock song with an exciting melody.
Spanish singer Marazu is back with a new single. And it's a great one! "Instinto" is a thrilling pop-rock song with a growing melody, which builds up until it becomes an overflow of wonderful energy.
It's always a pleasure to listen to new songs by Normunds Rutulis. So we couldn't be more excited when we learned he has released "Saulaina diena". And it totally fulfilled our expectations: it's a fresh song with an enjoyable ambience, built by great instrumentals. Normunds's amazing voice fills it all in a perfect way.
German singer Sonia Liebing is living a wonderful moment in her career. After the huge success of "Maybe", she is back with another piece of schlager realness! We are talking about her new release, "Ich will mit dir (nicht nur reden)". The chorus is as catchy as one can be.
Belgian musicians Tom Dice and Kato Callebaut teamed up in a duo, The Starlings. Their music blends a rootsy kind of pop with an acoustic feeling, such as we can appreciate in "Die happy", their most recent single. The blend of sounds and voices is dreamy!
One more single by Bow Anderson, one more outstanding addition to our playlists. The British singer has just released "Island", and we are completely hooked to it! It's a classy pop song with an irresistible addition of tropical flavors. Everything is even more perfect with Bow's unique voice.
Kendji Girac is setting everything ready to release his new album, "Mi vida", next October. And part of the promotion included the release of a new single, featuring (Maître) GIMS. The song is entitled "Dernier métro", and it brings a soft, Latin-inspired ballad in which the artists' styles blend beautifully.
Updated on October 17th, 2020, with the official video.
MANTRA is a new Spanish group, formed by Carlos Marco, Paula Pérez and Charly Weinberg. They have joined Edurne to release a new single. It's "Prefiero olvidarte", a fresh song with a delightful and contagious melody.
Eloy de Jong is Eloy Francois Maurice Gilbert Charles Prosper de Jong, a Dutch schlager singer who was born in The Hague in 1973. He was a member of the English-Dutch boy group Caught in the Act, before starting his solo career in 2004. He's been very successful in German-speaking countries, and his new single clearly shows why. "Barfuß im regen" is German schlager at its best! It's an inviting, very entertaining song, exciting until the last drop.
Maja Manojlović is a Bosnian singer born in the city of Banja Luka. We have recently come across her single "Ostani još", and we couldn't keep it to ourselves. The track is a haunting ballad that shies away from folkloric sounds and brings, instead, carefully crafted alternative beats.
German-Polish singer Viki Gabor is back with a new single. It's entitled "Not gonna get it". You'll surely love it: it's a great uptempo electropop song with very entertaining retro elements.
He is one of the best talents of his generation. And we should add: not only in Italy, but in Europe as a whole. We have been watching him grow up, and his music go through several transformations. Every one of them has been a pleasure to our ears – as it was a pleasure to get to interview him! These are our 10 questions for Alessandro Casillo:
Sounds European!: We feel that an interesting way to get to know a singer is to learn about his early relationship with music. What artists did you enjoy listening to when you were younger? Do you feel that any aspect of their work has influenced you as an artist, at any point of your career?
Alessandro Casillo: Since I was a child, I was into music. I used to listen to every kind of music, but Michael Jackson was (and is) my favorite singer. Everyday, I listen to Michael, so everyday Michael is in my mind.
SE!: We talked about your first memories with music, as a listener. Now, we want to talk about your first memories with music as a singer. When and how did you start singing? Who were the first persons to recognize your talent? And what was the moment when you realized that singing was becoming more than a hobby, but your profession, your future?
AC: When I was a child, often I used to sing and play at the piano in my house, so I could consider my parents as my talent scout. :) When I was 13, fortunately I got the opportunity to participate on a famous talent music show. From that, I understood it could be an important occasion that would change my life.
SE!: One of the first achievements of your professional career was winning the Giovani category of Festival di Sanremo in 2012. You were starting your career, at a very early age [15], and you were already writing your name in the history of an event which is an institution of the international music scene. How was that, for you? How did you feel?
AC: I didn't expect to win Sanremo so young. It was an unbelievable and unforgettable experience.
From that moment, I thought that music was not only a passion, but could be a full time work!!
SE!: You have a very special relationship with your fans. You've had huge autograph sessions throughout Italy. You've had very successful tours. You had a unique bonding experience on #ALECAMP. Even in your latest video, "After", we can see references to your fans and your connection with them. What can you tell us about this relationship? What role do you believe your fans have in your career?
AC: My fans are everything! Without them, I would be nothing. I listen to their advice and try to put it to my songs. We are a big family.
A singer without a fan is not the same singer.
SE!: We absolutely love your music! You are one of the few artists to have appeared twice in our lists of best European songs of the year – "L'amore secondo Sara" in 2014 and "Ancora qui" in 2018. And it's interesting to notice: these two songs are very different from each other! It's clear to us that we watched you grow up (as a person and as an artist) along with your music. When you make this comparison yourself, between your first songs and your current ones, what would you say has changed, and what has remained the same, musically?
AC: I started working with music at a very young age and, while I was growing up, my music was growing up the same.
I like changes, I like to show my versatility because for me music is growing continuously.
"I like changes, I like to show my versatility because for me music is growing continuously" (Fashion stylist: Tommaso Rosati)
SE!: In this sense of evolving, of growing up along with your music, we can say that you are now living a new stage of your career. You've just signed with Krishna Music Group – "After" is your second exclusive release with them. How is this new moment being, for you? How does it feel to start working with a group that believes in your current music, your current self?
AC: Yes, I've just signed with them, and I feel very well, because I feel that they trust in me and in my music. I was waiting for people like them for a long time.
SE!: As you are giving your first steps in this new music group, we can only wonder. What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you?
AC: I'm writing every day a new song for the new album, I'm working very hard and I hope that everyone who will listen to my new stuff will like it!!
SE!: If we look even further in time, what do you still want to achieve in your career? What are your biggest professional dreams?
AC: My dream is to do this job for all my life time.
I dedicate all my life to music and so I hope it could be like this forever.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Italian and international artists you would like to collaborate with?
AC: I have already got the lucky opportunity to work with amazing artists, like the Backstreet Boys, James Blunt and Pino Daniele.
I got a very open mind so I would enjoy every kind of collaborations, but if I have to choose one, probably I would chase Lauv. I love him!
SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by Alessandro Casillo, and why?
AC: My favorite song is my next one, because I want to improve as best as possible.
Czech singer Thom Artway is finally back with a new release. And honestly, we couldn't love it more. Not only because the song is absolutely lovely, in all senses, but also for its motive.
On the last weekend of August, Thom got married, and he decided to release a song he wrote for his newlywed Karolina. "I proposed to her with the song 'Caroline'. So releasing it the day after the wedding was a logical step. It is not so much about announcing this event, but rather about the joy and gratitude of crossing our paths".
Olli Halonen is a Finnish singer and songwriter hailing from Kuopio. Meet him with his single "Isän ikäinen". It's a great soft pop-rock song, with an impressive vocal display.
The Struts have just release a new song. For it, they've gathered with American guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., of The Strokes. And we cannot stress it enough: "Another hit of showmanship" is a song which offers the pure, raw power of high-quality rock 'n' roll.
"'Another hit of showmanship' reminds me of being at a club night called Ramshackle years ago at the O2 Academy in Bristol, where they'd play bands like The Libertines and Razorlight and Scissor Sisters, and of course The Strokes", says lead singer Luke Spiller. "I hit up Albert out of the blue and told him, 'We've got this song, and I'm so excited to see what you would do with it'. As soon as he got his hands on it, he took it to a whole different level – it really just shows why he's so brilliant at what he does".
Pol Granch is Pablo Grandjean, a Spanish-French singer from Madrid. He rose to prominence after winning the third season of his country's The X Factor. We've just got to listen to his single "Chocolatito", and we are completely taken by it. It's a smooth soft pop-rock song with a very cool chorus.
Matthias Schweighöfer is a German singer, actor, film director and producer who was born in Anklam in 1981. We are totally in love with his latest single, "Lauf". It's an exciting song which mixes pop-rock and electronic elements in a very entertaining manner.
Lenna are an Estonian band from Tallinn, led by former Vanilla Ninja member Lenna Kuurmaa. Tanel Padar (Uhtna, 1980) is an Estonian singer who is internationally known for winning Eurovision in 2001 (and whose band was in our list of best songs of 2014). Lenna and Tanel gathered to release "Uues valguses". It's a delightful song!
It's time to remeet Czech duo Slza, and listen to their new single. We are talking about "Fotky". It's a captivating pop-rock song with an exciting chorus.
After some time without new music, power twin duo Jedward are back on track! The Irish guys have just released "Extraordinary", a song that brings an electronic kind of pop that we seldom listen from their country.
