German singer Zoe Wees is enjoying a great start of her music career: she has just released a fabulous new single! "Girls like us" has a catchy beat that wraps up emotional lyrics. Zoe said that this song helped her "see myself more through the eyes of my loved ones".
It's time to remeet British rising star Finn Askew. He has just released a new single, entitled "Egotism". It's such a fun pop-rock song: the melody is irresistible!
Amadeus Sögaard is a Swedish singer and football player. He is the son of Swedish diva Carola, and has developed a career as a footballer at IF Brommapojkarna. He kicked off his music career by releasing "Exhibition", a song with deep R&B beats and a retro flavor that is uniquely catchy.
Italian rapper Mr.Rain and British singer Birdy got together to release a great collaboration. It's entitled "Non c'è più musica". The song offers a grandiose melody, led by great strings, and a perfect mix of their talents.
dArtagnan is a German band that blends rock, folk and schlager. Formed in 2015 in the city of Nuremberg, they became very popular in the German-speaking countries, having released around 20 singles so far. They are now promoting their fourth studio album, "Feuer & flamme", with the release of the single "C'est la vie". The song is an explosion of medieval-infused sounds that will melt in your ears. We love it to bits: it's our song of the week!
Mateusz Dopieralski is Vito Bambino, a Polish singer and actor who was born in Katovice in 1988. He has joined sanah to record and release a great single. It's "Ale jazz!", a song that mixes sanah's unique style with some delightful retro elements. The result is awesome!
Matej Smutný is a Slovak singer, songwriter and musician from Dúbravy. Meet him with his great new single "Psycho love". It's a grandiose singer-songwriter song with a captivating melody and a very imposing chorus.
It's finally time to remeet Artem Pivovarov. The Ukrainian star is becoming a huge hit in his country with "Dezhavyu". And we can totally see why: it's a masterpiece of folk music! It's impossible not to love it.
Miki Núñez keeps dazzling us with singles from his album "Iceberg". The latest one is "No m'ho esperava", a song in which he reflects upon his childhood dreams and how his career later developed. The track is a lovely pop with tender verses and a catchy chorus.
Finnish singer Rosi returns to Sounds European! to share her new single. "Kysy mult" is a groovy pop track which talks about how to overcome emotions and move on in a difficult time.
German star Maite Kelly is back with a new single. And it's becoming a huge hit. "Einfach hello!" is a catchy, captivating and highly inviting schlager song. The chorus is irresistible!
Swedish singer ISA is back to our site to share her latest single. "In my head" is a relaxed pop with captivating beats and lyrics that reflect upon troubled times.
After being #6 in our Top 50 of 2020 with "Rudy", Polish singer Natalia Zastępa is back with us! For her latest single, she teamed up with indie rock band Sonbird (formed in Żywiec in 2015). Together, they released "Mantry", a fabulous mix of sounds from both artists that results in a captivating gem of indie music.
Spanish singer Javy Ramírez was among our 50 favorite songs of 2020. And he returns to Sounds European! to show us his most recent single. "Quién robó tu luz" is a ballad which boasts typically Spanish sounds, especially thanks to Javy's interpretation and the soft claps in the chorus that make it more enticing. Javy himself says that he wrote the song thinking about somebody else, but ended up feeling represented in it many times.
Single after single, Matteo Faustini is showing a wonderful talent, and we are getting fully in love with his music. And "La bocca del cuore" confirms it all even further. It's a beautiful song, with a passionate melody and a wonderful vocal performance.
German singer Kerstin Ott has a new single on offer. And it's a great one! "Ich hab's wirklich versucht" is an entertaining schlager song, with great spices of electropop in the melody.
We are now landing in France, to listen to a great new single by Carla. We are talking about "Cœur sur toi". It's a smooth pop song with great local elements in the melody, making it all very characteristic.
RIAN is a young artist hailing from the town of Althofen, in Southern Austria. Developing his career in Vienna, he has recently released the single "Cry for you". The song is a contemporary pop ballad which includes soft urban influences in the verses and provides a great canvas for RIAN to show his vocal range.
Bulgarian star Poli Genova returns with a new single. With "Last night", it was her time to join the retro wave we've been living in the pop scene. And the result is as amazing as one could imagine. Highly entertaining!
Mael Brunner and Jonas Brochhausen are Mael & Jonas, a German duo hailing from Koblenz. They rose to prominence after finishing the tenth season of The Voice of Germany with the third place. During the show's final, they released an original song with their coach, Nico Santos. "Treat you right" is a very entertaining pop song.
Jesús Rendón is a Spanish singer born in Barbate in 1995. His career shot to stardom after being part of the 2020 edition of Operación Triunfo. Here is his most recent single: "Ni tan malo ni tan bueno", a pop ballad that delves in the kind of Spanish classic sound that makes our toes curl. The song talks about judging people before getting to really know them, and how we've all gone through that process.
Swedish singer Nova Miller is on fire! She kicked off 2021 by releasing two amazing singles: last week it was the retro-esque "Here with me", but before she dazzled us with "Man's world". The track is a sensual piece of pop that relies on Nova's impressive vocals and a dramatic instrumentation that will grab you from the very start. Both songs are part of her latest EP, "The passion".
Dennis Rizzi is the real name of Deddy, a 19-year-old singer born in Turin. He is currently taking part in the latest edition of the popular show Amici, and within the contest he released a very sweet single. "Il cielo contromano" is a contemporary ballad that is taken to a whole new level thanks to Deddy's raspy voice.
Updated on October 2nd, 2021, with the official visual art video.
German singer Malik Harris returns to our site with a superb new single. "Bangin' on my drum" is an uplifting pop track with soft verses and an energizing chorus. Malik explains: "I wrote this song for a simple reason: to make people feel joyful. Especially in these weird times we all need something to make us forget all the stress around us and just enjoy the moment!"
In Italy, "Drivers license" is climbing up the charts, but still isn't the country's #1. There, the top of the list currently belongs to MACE, BLANCO and Salmo, with "La canzone nostra".
And we've already got the first huge international hit of 2021! It's "Drivers license", by American singer Olivia Rodrigo! This week, the song is #1 in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, #2 in Germany, #3 in Switzerland, #4 in Portugal, #8 in Italy #20 in Bulgaria and #43 in France. It's taking over all of Europe!
Adrienn (Adri) Nagy is a Hungarian singer who was born in Kecskemét in 1988. She has a great new single on offer, entitled "Hol voltál". It's a sweet song with a very cute melody and a flawless vocal performance which fits it all perfectly.
Time for us to remeet Swiss singer Ana Whiterose! She has recently released "Staring at my face", a song that will take you to the early 2000s with an exciting mix of R&B and pop.
British singer JC Stewart has started 2021 with the right foot: he was selected as MTV's Push Artist for this month! And this coincides with the release of his latest single, "Break my heart". The song is a relaxed pop that is bound to become an international hit soon!
Helena Routa is an up-and-coming Finnish singer from Kangasniemi but developing her career in Helsinki. She's making headlines in her country with her unique take on pop, as we can appreciate in "Helvetti jäätyy". The song also brings soft R&B sounds and synth beats towards the end to give us a really modern feel!
Two of the greatest voices of Italy got together for a single. Emma and Alessandra Amoroso have just released "Pezzo di cuore", and all our expectations were met and exceeded! The song manages to contemplate the talents of each one of them, and mixes them in order to reach levels of pure excellence. We are absolutely in love with it: it's our song of the week!
Moldovan star Nicoleta Nuca is back with a new single. And we cannot stress it enough: "Ultima oara" is such a powerful song! The melody is very intense, and Nicoleta's voice fills it all as it demands, both in strength and quality.
British singer Tom Grennan has just released a new single! "Little bit of love" talks about toxic masculinity and unconditional love, all wrapped in his classic pop-rock mix that makes your toes curl every time!
Fotis Papazisis is a Greek singer who was born in Trikala. Get to know him with his excellent single "Evgenika". It's a very inviting and addictive Greek pop song, with a perfect amount of folk influences added to it.
Sounds European! remeets Swedish singer Oscar Zia. He has just released a new single. It's "Skuggor", a piano-led ballad which explores Oscar's beautiful voice in a very melodic manner.
Irish band Wild Youth are back to Sounds European! with their brand-new single. "Champagne butterflies" is the perfect blend of retro, pop and rock sounds, and it comes along with a psychedelic video that is very fitting to the combo!
British singer RAYE and drum and bass band Rudimental (from Hackney, London) got together to start 2021 with a banger – quite literally! Their collaboration is entitled "Regardless", and it brings a sensual dance floor anthem that is bound to put you up to dance!
Stefán Hilmarsson is an Icelandic musician born in Reykjavík in 1966. He has been working with music since 1986, releasing several studio albums, both solo and as part of other projects (such as Sálin hans Jóns míns and Pláhnetunn). And he has even represented his country on the Eurovision Song Contest six times – twice as a lead singer, twice as a backing vocalist and twice as a composer. We have recently came upon his single "Dagur nýr", a beautiful song that captivates the essence of '90s ballads in a unique way.
Danish singer Christopher (who was among our 50 favorite songs of 2020 with "Ghost") teamed up with Swedish singer Clara Mae to release an emotional new single. "Good to goodbye" is a pop ballad that talks about the on-and-off moments of a relationship.
Russian singer Polina Gagarina returns to our site with a touching new single. "Zima" is a different kind of ballad from what we are used to get from her, delivering a softer, somewhat more ethnic, instrumentation that highlights her impressive vocal skills.
Themis Panagiotidis is a Greek singer and songwriter from Thessaloniki. We have just got to listen to his latest single, and we are totally addicted to it. "Ego eimai edo" is Greek folk pop at its best: it's absolutely captivating!
Onk Lou is a talented artist hailing from Lower Austria. Meet him with his single "Cranes". It's an amazing singer-songwriter song with a strong rock vibe.
Few artists have been on our lists of best songs of the year more than once. This band not only achieved this feat, but went even further: they have already been there three times (in 2015, 2017 and 2020). It's clear how much we admire their music – and, therefore, it's possible to imagine the enormous joy we felt at being able to interview them! These are our 10 questions for Christoffer Stjerne, of H.E.R.O.:
Sounds European!: Let's start our interview talking about the band's origins. How did you guys meet? How was the band formed? And what's the meaning of the band's name, H.E.R.O.?
Christoffer Stjerne (H.E.R.O.): First of all, thank you for taking the time to interview us! :)
H.E.R.O. started out by Søren and me being friends and one day talking about forming a band. We were both in a situation where our old bands and projects kind of faded out, so it finally made sense to start up something new together.
We brought in Andi on the drums, because we thought he was nothing less but the best drummer we have ever heard. So it took a bit of persuasion, but we are glad that he joined us – almost 10 years ago now. :)
And for the band name... no special meaning. We just had a song called "Superpowers", so it made sense that we should be called H.E.R.O..
SE!: What artists did you enjoy listening to when you were going up? Do you feel they have influenced, in any aspect, your current work as a band?
CS: I think we all grew up listening to quite different artists. Søren is definitely more old-school than Andi and me. He listens to a lot of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Bowie and stuff – while Andi is a heavy metal guy. I myself grew up in the grunge era, so I was deep into Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and such.
I definitely think that all our influences have been a big part of creating that special H.E.R.O. sound.
SE!: When we think about genre, yours is even a bit "obvious" to determine: rock. But we can't really say it is a usual rock. You guys have a unique energy, and a melody that usually reminds us of pop and other genres besides rock itself. How would you define your own music, in genre and style? And how does your process of finding the right sound for your songs work?
CS: Well... that's a thing that many have asked us before. We don't really care about genres – we usually just make music the way we like it.
That being said, I'm a person that has pop written all over my Spotify. Which means that I don't listen to rock or metal that often anymore. So when it comes to our sound, we try to combine a heavy bottom with modern and contemporary melodies and lyrics.
SE!: Still talking about your process of music making, but now going beyond sonority. How is your songwriting process? What themes do you like to deal with in your lyrics? What messages do you seek to convey? And what else do you take into consideration during your creative process?
CS: Our writing process is pretty easy, I think. I don't believe in divine inspiration and such – I believe in hard work, and writing every day.
That's how I do it with H.E.R.O. and when I write and produce for other artists.
SE!: In 2020, you released your second album, "Bad blood". It is great, and it has one of our favorite songs of yours, "Avalanche" (which we selected as one of the best European songs of 2020). It is an album with different styles, melodies, moods. What can you tell us about it, and its songs?
CS: Thank you so much for rating "Avalanche" so high on your top 50 – we really appreciate it! It's also a song that is close to my heart.
From a personal point of view, I think that was the song that kicked off the sound and vibe of the whole writing and production process of "Bad blood".
The "Bad blood" record has a big "personal crisis" written all over it. I won't go into details, but we were dealing with some personal problems in the band – and the easiest way to overcome that is to write some songs about it.
"We are not halfway there when it comes to what we want to achieve" (Picture: Nalle Magnusson)
SE!: You have crossed borders, and achieved success in other countries as well. An example of this is Japan, where you reached #1 on the international radio charts for several weeks. How did your relationship with Japan, and with audiences in other countries, begin, and what is it currently like? And how do you feel, reaching people from such different places?
CS: I think we are really blessed with all the stuff that has happened and still is happening in Japan. I think it all started by a coincidence – a powerful Japanese rock DJ picked up our song "Dangerous" and played it on the radio again and again. That really started all the attention from both record labels and fans.
We do have a special bond with Japan, and we always have the best time in the world when we visit.
SE!: Now looking to the future: What do you still want to achieve in your career? What are your biggest professional objectives and dreams?
CS: It's always difficult to talk about dreams and hopes for your career – especially with a year with COVID-19, that made us cancel almost everything we had planned. But I can tell you this... We are not halfway there when it comes to what we want to achieve. We are working hard on new music at the moment, and I'm confident that 2021 will be a great year for us.
SE!: You have worked with some big names of the music industry, such as Slash, for example. What do you seek to bring from experiences with other artists? And if you could choose anyone, who would be some Danish and international artists you would still like to collaborate with?
CS: It's a dream when you're in the presence of legends, and some of your biggest idols. We have done nothing but just being humble and trying to enjoy and learn as much as possible.
As for a Danish artist, there are quite a few pop acts that I would personally like to work with – but if Dizzy Mizz Lizzy or Volbeat called us and wanted to collaborate, we wouldn't turn it down.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you in 2021?
CS: Fans can expect quite a lot! We are finishing up our new single – hopefully to be released soon – and there will be a full length album later this year.
For me, personally, I've done an album with Danish rock band Lucer, that I really want to succeed. And I've done a full album with Pretty Maids guitarist Ken Hammer, which I have high hopes for as well. So, quite a busy year!
SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by H.E.R.O., and why?
CS: Oh... that's a tough one. Can you play the entire "Bad blood" album? :)
Naaahhh... one of my all-time favorite songs is "I hope this changes everything". I think it captures everything in H.E.R.O.: pop, rock, and metal.
Hailing from Torre del Mar, Marta Sango is a Spanish singer who rose to prominence as part of the 2018 edition of Operación Triunfo. She has just dazzled us with the release of her new single: "¿Qué más quieres de mí?" is an energetic synth pop with a memorable melody and a video that will blow your wig to outer space!
We are now landing in Slovenia, to listen to an awesome new single by Simon Vadnjal. We are talking about "Kam?". It's an exciting pop-rock song with a great melody, built by very entertaining instrumentals, and a chorus that is catchy and highly inviting.
Raffaele Renda is a young talent rising in Italy. Born in the city of Lamezia Terme in 2000, he is making his first big career move participating in the latest edition of the popular show Amici di Maria de Filippi. While in the competition, he released the single "Senza love", a fresh mix of soft urban sounds and international pop that is pretty unique for what we usually come across in the Italian music scene.
Jenny Sørås is a Norwegian singer hailing from the city of Stordal. She is launching her career with a bubbly debut single: "Torturing lover" is a blend of synth, pop and soft electronic sounds that are pushed further by Jenny's impressive vocal performance. An addictive track overall!
It's time to listen to a new release by Melanie C. The British star has just released "Into you". It's an inviting electropop song with an entertaining melody and a very modern chorus.
Get your hearts ready, because it's time to fall in love with a lovely new song coming from the Netherlands. We are talking about "Thuis", by André Hazes. The song, which is the title track of his latest album, is a shower of emotions, with a touching melody and an even more touching vocal performance.
Sounds European! finally remeets Macedonian singer David Temelkov. He has recently released an amazing new single, entitled "Ogledalo". The song is an exciting pop with a groovy melody and a very entertaining chorus. David's voice takes it all to an even higher level!
Another star to grace the stage of the 2020 Festivali i Këngës was Inis Neziri. Her competing song was "Pendesë", a deep ballad with an imposing chorus that explores Inis's beautiful voice (as you can see in the live performance). The song was one of the favorites to win, and was eventually fourth.
We are really looking forward to Victoria Georgieva's song for this year's Eurovision. But, while that doesn't happen, she hasn't stopped giving us great music. You can now listen to her latest single, "Ugly cry". It's an amazing piece of pop!
Wincent Weiss is back with new music! He is promoting his upcoming album, "Vielleicht irgendwann", with the single "Wie es mal war". The song is a pop ballad in which Wincent explores with a different vocal interpretation, closer to urban genres, giving it a unique twist to his music.
Long time no see for Swedish singer Robin Stjernberg! He is finally back with us to share his latest single, "Pretty". The song is an intimate, piano-driven ballad that grows in intensity towards the end of the track, showering us with emotions.
Daði Freyr Pétursson is an Icelandic artist who was born Reykjavík in 1992. He is also known for being the lead singer of Daði og Gagnamagnið. Daði has teamed up with ÁSDÍS in a fantastic single. "Feel the love" is a feast of synth retro sounds that will have you dancing along from the moment you press play!
DOMMI is the stage name of Dominika Lukešová, a Czech singer coming from Králův Dvůr. She rose to prominence as a finalist of the sixth season of the Czech and Slovak talent show SuperStar. Meet her with "Beyond the stars", a kind of pop the Czech scene was really needing!
It's time to remeet Julie Bergan. The Norwegian star has just released "We're coming up", and we just can't get enough of it! The song is pop at its best, offering a catchy melody and a chorus that is highly addictive. We are completely in love with it: it's our song of the week!
Get ready to party: it's time to remeet Danish duo Fyr Og Flamme. They are quickly showing they are a name to be noticed in the Danish scene, and their new single "Kamæleon" proves that once again. What an entertaining song it is!
We are now landing in Bulgaria, to listen to a great new single by Mihaela Fileva. We're talking about "100 na 100" (you can listen to the version in English, "All the way", here). It's a groovy pop song with an interesting mix of retro disco and folk influences. The result is very inviting!
Joana Almeirante is a young Portuguese singer, songwriter and musician from Alpiarça. Meet her with her endearing single "Bem me quer". The song, which is the opening theme of a homonymous soap opera in Portugal, is a sweet pop which has won our hearts at the very first listen!
British singer Harry Styles kicked off 2021 by releasing a new single. "Treat people with kindness" is a lively mix of sounds that will take you directly to the 1950s.
Jung is a Swedish duo formed by brothers Tom and Henrik Ljungqvist. They have recently released the single "Heaven", an anthemic piece of soft pop with a simple, yet hooking, melody.
Two of the biggest names in the Maltese music scene got together to release a single. We are talking about Matthew James and Ira Losco, with "In the rain". It's a beautiful melodic song which explores their voices in wonderful ways.
Viivi Korhonen is a 21-year-old singer hailing from Kuvansi, Finland. She was part of the 2013 edition of The Voice Kids in her country, making it to the final with Elastinen as her coach. Now, she's delivering a wonderful single: "Lääke" is a beautifully crafted ballad that deals with one-sided love and how sometimes we use that tool to heal our old wounds.
Liepa Norkevičienė is a Lithuanian singer from Klaipėda. Meet her with her latest single, "Sudie mano meile". It's a powerful pop song with a great melody and a very effective chorus. We love it!
Rita Sanches is a Portuguese singer and actress from Lisbon. She rose to prominence in the beginning of 2020, after being crowned the winner of the seventh season of The Voice in her country. And now she presents us her lovely debut single. "Fala-me de ti" brings the nostalgic take of Portuguese music with a bubbly pop atmosphere.
Let's check up on German singer Bosse! He finished 2020 with the release of his single "Das paradies", a mix of pop sounds with a deep message of how it would be to live in the perfect world.
Few groups in Europe can offer great folk music at the level of DoReDoS. And every new single of theirs makes us even more certain of that. With "Leagănul dorului meu", it was exactly how we felt: the song is a masterpiece of folk music!
Dutch singer Davina Michelle has teamed up with Belgian rapper Woodie Smalls (born in Sint-Niklaas in 1996). The result of their collaboration is "Big brother", a haunting piece of synth pop with an exciting edgy vibe.
Anine Stang is a Norwegian singer and songwriter born in 1985 in Oslo. Her career started back in 2006 and includes several hit singles. Her most recent release is "We got the love", an energizing pop with intense beats and a very hopeful message about how important it is to stand up against hate.
Troels Gustavsen is a Danish singer and songwriter who was born in Sakskøbing in 1988. He's also known as the person behind the project NOAH. He's now releasing a solo work signed with his own name. Listen to "Knuste hjerter", a smooth yet imposing pop song with a very captivating mood.
Sometimes viral songs escape us. But there are a few we feel we need to share even though some months have gone by. In the beginning of 2020, Fenn Rosenthal (aged 4) and her dad Tom (33, both hailing from London) made headlines thanks to "Dinosaurs in love". Little Fenn came up with the whole concept of the song while her father played the piano. We'll be away for a while, someone is chopping onions nearby.
Italian-born star RUGGERO returns to our site with a fantastic new single. We're talking about "Mil razones", a moving piece of Latin pop with a climactic instrumentation that creates a total sing-along feel!
German singer Vanessa Mai is having a very prolific moment of her career. Her 2020 singles "Der himmel reißt auf", "Du bist mein highlight", "Sommerwind" and "Mitternacht" became huge local hits. And 2021 seems to be bringing more success, with the release of her album "Mai tai" in March. She kicked off the new year by releasing "Liechter", a lovely piece of soft pop that is super enjoyable for a relaxing moment!
Alban Skenderaj and Arilena Ara gathered their talents in an explosive new single! "A i sheh" is a tropical piece that mixes urban and contemporary pop sounds to create a very enjoyable melody.
Draumfarir are an Icelandic duo formed by two-time SE!'s top 50 of the year Birgir Steinn Stefánsson and Ragnar Már Jónsson. They have joined Króli (from Hafnarfjörður) to record and release "Ást við fyrstu seen". It's a delightful song, with a refreshing ambience.
The first full week of 2021 has two local songs at the two top places of the Dutch charts. The country's #2 is Jake Reese and Pommelien Thijs's "Nu wij niet meer praten". And at the top position, we find Tiësto, with "The business".
Dua Lipa is in charts from all around Europe, and with more than one song. In some countries, she is charting with "Prisoner", featuring Miley Cyrus. It's the case of Bulgaria, for example, where the song is currently topping the list. Meanwhile, in Belgium, she's at the same position, but another with song: #1, with "Fever", featuring local star Angèle.
"Contre soirée", the latest album by Bilal Hassani, is giving us bop after bop of pop glory. He has recently released a video for the song "Ailleurs", an exciting track to put your high heels on and catwalk along!
Leonardo Lamacchia is an Italian singer, composer and musician born in Bari in 1994. He took part of the 2017 edition of Sanremo Giovani, and is currently part of the 2020/2021 edition of the popular show Amici. Within the reality, he released the single "Via Padova", a shower of synth pop that is seldom heard from Italian male singers.
Victoria Nadine is the stage name of Victoria Karlskås Andersen, a young talent hailing from Skien, Norway. She rose to prominence after participating in the 2016 edition of Idols in her country, and has been developing her music career since. Her most recent single is entitled "Be okay", and it is an intimate ballad with R&B beats and sweet vocals from Victoria.
Pasha Parfeni leaves his folk-infused pop to bring an edgier single. We're talking about "Liber", a pop-rock track that talks about being free to act upon our future.
Zlata Ognevich is back with a dazzling track. In "Okean", she mixes pop and retro sounds with an Eastern flare that lets her voice shine through. It's super enjoyable!
Spanish singer Aitana is back to our site with her new single. We're talking about "11 razones", a song that takes her to a 2000s kind of pop rock that will bring out the rebel in you. The spirit of the 2000s in it spoke deeply to the spirit of the 2000s in us: it's our song of the week!
Diodato was definitely one of the greatest musical findings of 2020. His song "Fai rumore" was the #1 of our top 50 of the year, and his follow-up single "Un'altra estate" was also song of the week. Imagine our thrill when we saw he had released another single! "Fino a farci scomparire" is a ballad that talks about the end of a relationship with a beautiful instrumentation.
Franka is back with her amazing sounds! She has recently released the single "Plan B", a powerful ballad that talks about how love can transport you to a different, happier place.
Polish producer Gromee has recently teamed up with ÁSDÍS (stage name of Ásdís María Viðarsdóttir, from Reykjavík) in a super fun single. "Worth it" has a contagious electronic beat which is complemented beautifully by ÁSDÍS's deep voice. Surely one for your party playlists!
Albania finished 2020 as tradition states, by celebrating another edition of Festivali i Këngës. The winner of the 59th edition was Anxhela Peristeri with "Karma", an exciting mix of folkloric sounds with hints to pop and rock that let Anxhela show off her impressive vocal power, as you can see in the live presentation. With her victory, she opens the list of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest entries.
Updated on May 16th, 2021, with the official video.
The guys from The Overslept have just dazzled us with another potent single. "Everything you want" brings an edgier kind of rock that will energize your body from head to toes!
Feli's latest ventures into folkloric-infused pop have rendered amazing singles. And "Vantul bate", her latest one, is no exception. It boasts intense beats with a sultry atmosphere all through.
Julia Medina and Cepeda have teamed up with a beautiful collaboration. In "No hablan más de ti", both artists deliver a classic ballad which grows in the second chorus to an explosion of sounds!
Long time no see for Aydın Kurtoğlu! We now remeet the Turkish singer in "Şahsiyet", a song that masterfully mixes retro beats with ethnic sounds, creating a really captivating track!
Samanta Tīna is enjoying a great moment in her career. While preparing her 2021 Eurovision Song Contest entry, she keeps on dazzling us with new music. Her latest release is "Tikai romāns", a powerful ballad in which we can appreciate her full range of vocal power.
French singer Shy'm has been super busy during the late 2020! She announced she's expecting her first child, she has a new album coming, and she even ended the year sharing a new single. "Ensemble" is a shower of pure pop led by her soothing voice.
Swedish duo Smith & Thell had one of our favorite singles of 2020. So we were thrilled to see they have started 2021 with a new single! The release is entitled "Radioactive rain", a ballad with a touch of country sounds that creates a relaxed atmosphere with the aid of their soft vocals.
Chinaski are once more with us to show us their latest song. "Báseň" is a beautifully orchestrated ballad with an anthemic chorus and a powerful instrumentation. The song is part of the band's album "11".
We're glad to remeet Slovene singer Eva Boto! She has recently released "Ko najdeš sebe", a mid-tempo pop song that shies away from folkloric sounds to deliver marking beats that create a very nice melody.
sanah was one of our Polish highlights of 2020. She ended the year with a brand-new single: "Duszki" is a hypnotic gem of alternative pop with marking beats in the chorus that make it the more compelling.
He was one of the best names in European music in 2020. And he was in our top 50 of the best songs of the year. Interviewing someone whose work we admire so much is always a joy. Especially when the artist is as cool as he is! These are our 10 questions for James Smith:
Sounds European!: We'd like to start the interview by talking about your musical background. What artists did you grow up listening to? And how would you say they have shaped you as an artist, and your work?
James Smith: Well, I was actually a crazy obsessive Elvis and Johnny Cash fan when I was younger. I know, odd. From the age of about seven I would get up and sing their songs wherever I could. I actually had a copy of Elvis' birth certificate on my wall, hahaha. It was something about that era of music that really resonated with me as a kid. It was so rootsy and cool – and the songwriting was amazing. I later got into a lot of Bob Dylan and The Beatles – and more currently Paolo Nutini. Paolo is my guy. Obsessed with his records. I think these lot have probably shaped me as an artist in the way that they approach songwriting. They all seem to write from a real songwriters point of view – everything is super simple, but super effective.
SE!: What are your early memories singing and playing instruments? We've seen you guitar-in-hand in some of your videos, but you play other instruments. Which ones, and how did you learn to play them?
JS: I first started playing guitar when I was about 10. I remember seeing Johnny Cash play on my dad's computer. I bought a guitar from the charity shop and would wear it super high like he did. It was almost impossible to play how high I had it, lol. In recent years I've taken up the piano too. I got into keys from listening to a lot of Stevie[Wonder] and Ray Charles – I got a Wurlitzer at home which is my favourite sound ever! It's the sound from "What I'd say" tune.
SE!: You compose your music and write your lyrics. How would you describe your creative process? What inspires you to compose and write? What similarities and differences can you point between the two?
JS: I always start with the song, I never usually start production until the song is finished. I find it important that a song can be played acoustically and not rely on a track to make it any good! In terms of the actual songwriting, it changes all the time for me. Sometimes I'll start with a melody and sometimes I'll take inspiration from a lyric or phrase. I often write a lot of my lyric ideas while I'm on the tube and more recently, I've been doing voice notes as soon as I wake up. I've found that I dream a lot of melodies and words so this has been super helpful! I'd describe my process as very in-the-moment. Sometimes I'll go a few weeks without writing anything and then I can't stop... it's all a bit random really.
SE!: We feel your music is a cozy haven, but we would like you know how you see it. How would you describe your own musical genre and style? And what would you like to communicate, what would you like your fans to feel when listening to your music?
JS: Thanks so much! I think the stuff I've released so far is definitely cosy vibes but I've been sitting on a whole different catalogue of songs for years! I'd say that my music is very "songwritery"- soul/chord driven. I'm a big fan of all types of music so I try to include as many little snippets of my inspiration as possible into my own music. To be honest, I'd say that I'm writing a lot about my life and how I feel, so maybe my style will change a little as a grow as an artist. My song "Tell me that you love me" was me as an 18 year old. The music I'm making right now is me as a 21 year old. Maybe by 23, I'll change a little and have different experiences – so the sound will change! The thing that will make the songs all intertwine is me and my story.
SE!: One of your first big steps was taking part of the eighth edition of Britain's Got Talent. How did you decide to participate in the show? What would you say it brought to your future career?
JS: My mum signed me up for it when I was 14! It was a big learning curve from a young age. I learned a lot about the industry and how I could squeeze my way in. It definitely gave me a lot of confidence to start doing my own thing! Very grateful to the show for showing me that!
"Seeing the success of some of the music early on makes me know that I can do even better because I've got better music on its way"
SE!: You have several big hits in your pocket ("T-shirts" and "Tell me that you love me" amassing more than 85 million streams, combined, on Spotify). And your songs are also very well appreciated by the critics. How does it feel to have your work so well received by both fans and the critics? What goes through your mind before putting out new music?
JS: It feels amazing! I never expected people to latch on to the music so quickly actually! The streams and numbers are really crazy. And the streaming platforms have really supported me along the way. I can't actually fathom that many people. But what I would say is that it drives me to want more. Seeing the success of some of the music early on makes me know that I can do even better because I've got better music on its way. I'm so excited to get into an album and release some new music.
SE!: You've taken your music all around the world, touring in Europe, America and Australia. How was the experience of singing in such settings? How do you plan your concerts, and what can your fans expect from them?
JS: Playing abroad has been the best experience ever. Fans whose first language isn't English knowing every word to my songs... beautiful! I'm so grateful to them. I love travelling and I love new experiences so I'm looking forward to COVID being over so we can get back on tour and play some new tunes.
SE!: It's hard to plan ahead in these turbulent times, but what can your fans expect from you during 2021? What are your next steps in your career?
JS: EP 3 and the start of my debut album!!!!!!! Hopefully some live shows too. Then 2022 we're coming for the Grammys baby.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some British and international artists you would like to collaborate with?
JS: I would love to do a Mark Ronson collab. Or Jacob Collier. Those guys are great producers. Michael Kiwanuka is a big fave! I'm also a big fan of Phoebe Bridgers at the moment. I think we'd write some great songs together.
SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by James Smith, and why?
JS: My favourite song of mine is probably "Rely on me". It was one of the first songs that I really connected to emotionally and one of the first I took complete control on. It's me all over. Very proud of this song! Hope ya like it xxx
