Tiana Major9
A gift to modern jazz, Tiana Major9 is yet another gem from the UK R&B scene. A true lover of Jazz music, the East Londoner, describes it as “free and uncompromising”. The phrase is also a great descriptor of Major9’s music.
Tiana Major9 is an East-Londoner who grew up with Gospel, Garage, R&B and Hip Hop but discovered Jazz later on and developed an obsession we can only be grateful for. Tiana Major9’s sound is proof of the magic that happens when musical influences collide. Discovering her love for performance in the church, Tiana nurtured her rich, alto tones, the perfect backdrop for her sonic palette.
Tiana Major9 has kicked off 2019 with Rehearsal @ NINE, her long-anticipated debut EP. Rehearsal @ NINE is a banging and true homage to Jazz that remains relevant to the sound of today. It’s quite simply just the stuff good music is made of – incredibly lush production, thoughtful lyrics with the richest of voices. Many more big things are sure to come off the back of this one for this rising star.
James Vickery
One of UK R&B’s most promising up and comers, this singer-songwriter is armed with a dazzling falsetto. James Vickery has cited vocal influences including Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder. “I’ve always loved hearing big and powerful voices and tried to emulate [them] that as I grew up”. And the man does quite the job emulating.
The South Londoner has been slowly bubbling up around the UK music scene since collaborating with Disclosure in 2015. His 2018 EP, Until Morning, is a dreamy appetite-wetter for more great things to come in 2019.
Jaz Karis
BRIT school alum, Jaz Karis, was seemingly an instant hit since her debut EP, Into The Wilderness, dropped in 2017. With some pretty impressive collaborators including jazztronica powerhouses Blue Lab Beats and Tom Misch. Karis’ is another artist heralding the renaissance of Jazz music but is firmly in a unique lane of her own. With tender, but lush vocals and drawing heavily on influences of Soul and Gospel, Jaz Karis’ sound is where Neo-Soul and guitar-led tunes meets Jazz.
2018 saw her on everyone’s lips after a COLORS performance now at over 4 million views and counting. Citing influences ranging from Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu and Miguel, Karis explains, “I respect these artists who make music on their own terms and have their own authentic sound”. Karis doesn’t want to “just follow a trend and do what’s poplar right now”. She’s on a mission to make music true to her and we expect our 2019 will be all the sunnier for it.
Cleo Sol
A fixture on the London live music circuit in her teens, Cleo Sol, aka Gyallikeclee, took a 5 year hiatus. Returning to the scene in 2017 with Why Don’t You?, and following up in 2018 with her Winter Songs EP. Winter Songs is smooth, but luxuriously dynamic, borrowing from Jazz, R&B, Neo-Soul, the sounds of Fela Kuti & Afro rhythms. It breaks from the more conventional R&B the West Londoner was known for prior to her 5 year break.
The re-birthed Cleo Sol is one of the best things to ever happen to UK R&B. Winter Songs presents a quietly confident, mature, sound with grown lyrical honesty to match. We can’t wait for more somber-toned musings on life from this gem of an artist.
Poppy Ajudha
Recently described as “a politically-charged soul for the new age”, Poppy Ajudha is poised for great things in 2019. Poppy is a stand-out for truly speaking out with her music. To the extent that music is activism, Poppy Ajudha bares the flag for social activism in the new school of emerging musicians. Toxic masculinity, feminism and race are all subjects Poppy has placed at the centre of her music. She describes Solange Knowles as a big musical influence, sonically, but more importantly, lyrically. Speaking of Solange’s seminal ‘A Seat At The Table’, she says, “She gave me the framework within which I could talk about the political things I wanted to talk about. I couldn’t work out how to put together my political understanding with my music because I had never written like that before and I didn’t have the confidence to say them as if I wanted to teach someone something or help them understand something.”
With singles like, Spilling Into You, her stand-out featuring poet Kojey Radical, Ajudha has unveiled a stunning ability to create Jazz music grounded in modern Electronica and Hip Hop influences. She’s opened 2019 strong with an anathema take on toxic masculinity The Man You Aim To Be. We expect a new project 2019. 2019 is Poppy Ajudha’s for the taking.
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