NEW SIGNINGS
LISTEN TO ’S ‘NEW MUSIC’ AGENCY PLAYLIST HERE
has partnered with a number of agencies to compile a monthly playlist of new music, much of it released by the new signings to their rosters. Among the tracks on April’s playlist are submissions from 13 Artists, ATC Live, CAA, ICM Partners, ITB, Paradigm, Primary Talent, UTA and WME.
ISSAM ALNAJJAR
E (JO)
AGENTS Alex Hardee & Mike Malak Paradigm
GOYA GUMBANI
B (US)
AGENT Darren James-Thomas FMLY
12
iq-mag.net
ven if you don’t understand what he’s saying, it’s hard to ignore this tour de force. Issam Alnajjar is leading the way for a new generation of artists from the Middle East and North Africa. A 17-year-old musician from Amman, Jordan, he had been creating music for a couple of years, studying the songwriting of pop artists like Shawn Mendes and Ed Sheeran and admiring the creativity of iconic artists like Queen and The Weeknd, when he got some inspiration for his breakout hit, Hadal Ahbek. After dropping a preview video for the song on Instagram, anticipation from his fans grew and by the time he finally released Hadal Ahbek, the popularity of it exceeded his expectations, as it currently sits atop dozens of music charts on Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.
orn to an English-Jamaican mother and a Guyanese-South American father in Brooklyn, New York, Goya Gumbani’s relocation to London in his teens opened a new world of possibilities. Operating within various collectives throughout the city, his development as an artist and producer reached a breakthrough when he released his debut self-produced EP, Morta & More Doves, a dedication to his sister who passed away in 2018. That release began a prolific period for Gumbani, releasing four further projects in the years to come: three mixtapes and an EP called GG & Bori Steps Across The Pond, produced by Bori from New York. Sinu Metu, a single from the EP, was chosen as one of Pitchfork’s must-hear rap songs of the day. Despite his transatlantic upbringing, the flavour of Goya’s work is rooted in NYC hip-hop storytelling. He was recently named in NME’s 100 list of 2021 & ID’s one to watch.
