ON THE MOVE MAG - MARCH 2018 by On The Move

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In the current music industry where radios, TV and streaming are the big players deciding to spread the word about an artist (or not), it becomes more and more difficult for new artists to get their music heard if they don’t fit into criteria. It takes time, it takes patience, talent but above all it takes a lot of hard work. At On The Move Magazine, we give a particular attention to talent no matter where you come from, your musical genre, the amount of followers/views/fans you have got. We don’t talk quantity, we talk quality. We talk quality because we love music with the big M. We carefully choose the artists you’ll discover in this magazine to introduce you to «la crème de la crème». You’ll find big names, you’ll find unknown names. You’ll love what you’ll listen to, maybe you will hate it but at least, you’ll give our artists a chance. Because at the end of the day, every success story began with a chance given. ‘‘

Pamela Charbit founder of On The Move

EDITORIAL

REWIND

The best albums of February 32

42 X Factor Tour + Billie Eilish

Are they worth seeing live ?

INTERVIEW

Giraffage, casual electronic prodigy

ZOOM ON

Milk Teeth, Towkio and Fickle Friends

SUMMARY COVER STORY

What So Not, limitless producer

SPECIAL REPORT

12 female artists to redefine pop

47 What’s next ? The shows not to miss What’s Up In France ? 48 OTM Mag : Meeting the team 51

REWIN EVERYTHING YOU MISSED AND NEED TO KNOW

music video OF THE MONTH

in case you missed it ON THE MOVE MAG turned one!

Bea Miller - S.L.U.T She’s young, passionnate and she has no time for her haters! In her new music video for her girlpower anthem «S.L.U.T», Bea Miller is having fun and she’s not afraid to show it. The message here is clear: have fun, love yourself and don’t give a damn about what the others think! Using various ladies with different backgrounds, Bea is showing what life is really all about.

Last February we celebrated our first anniversary. 11 issues, over 40 interviews, 82 album’s reviews and over 60 new talents coming from all around the world... we’ve been hard at work to bring you new music and stories to read and listen to each month. Here’s to many more memories with you guys! Read all about our anniversary on OTMMag #11

SAVE THE DATE AQUILO Almost a year after the release of their debut album «Silhouette», the British duo will hit the road on March 12th in Amsterdam and will travel all around Europe. From dreamy songs to upbeat melodies, you sure won’t want to miss the experience that is Aquilo live!

otm playlist it happeneD 3 years ago Three years ago, Drake took the world by surprise by releasing his mixtape «If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late». Once again, the Canadian rapper produced one of the most acclaimed albums of the hip-hop scene. With songs like «Know Yourself», «Legend», «Preach» or «Energy», Drake just confirmed that he’s one of the greatest artists of his generation.

Waterparks - Peach (Lobotomy) Kendrick Lamar/The Weeknd - Pray For Me Jacob Banks - Chainsmoking Hailee Steinfeld - Capital Letters Justin Timberlake - Say Something 5 Seconds Of Summer - Want You Back DJ SNake - Magenta Riddim Towkio - Symphony

GIRAFFAGE From the fertile isolation of his bedroom to international dancefloors, all it took was Charlie Yin’s passion and hardwork. Since his early self-productions as Giraffage in 2011, the 28-year old californian producer has been delivering perfectly crafted gems of melodic and ethereal electro. His debut album «Too Real» is available on Counter Records since last October and its numerous shades only tells Charlie Yin’s love for diversity and experimentation. Because among his several faces, Giraffage is only one. Meet the humble and genius music maker.

n The Move: Hi Charlie! Thanks for being here with us. Can you tell us a bit about how you started in music? Giraffage: Thank you for having me. I was always interested in music. I was always into playing music, I was in a band growing up. Music has always been my #1 passion and I was going to school but at the same time, I was more focused on music than I was for school. After I graduated I was able to pursue music full time. Honestly it was a combination of good timing and work but I am very glad to be doing music instead of doing something like politics. Originally I was gonna go in marketing but I am happy I am doing this instead (laugh). On The Move: In which situation are you most creative? Alone? Giraffage: Definitely. That’s how I’ve always made music, just in the comfort of my bedroom. I recently moved to Austin, Texas, and I just built up a new studio there, so for me I’d rather much be working in my bedroom than in a big studio. I’ve been to a few big studios a couple of times where they work with all of these crazy gears, big speakers but I am just comfortable in my studio. I think for me, I like to be pretty isolated and because of that sense of isolation, it kind of forced my creativity to go into paths that I wouldn’t have taken otherwise.

« there are so many other sounds that I WOULd like to explore » On The Move: At first sight, the whole sound and universe of your album «Too Real», that was out in October 2017, is very uplifting. Though, I believe it wasn’t composed during the most positive time of your life. What is a way to find some cathartis in music? Giraffage: I think so. I was going through a pretty though time in my life when I was writing the songs. I tried to convey more of a hopeful tone, more than the «oh I’m so depressed» (laugh) On The Move: Speaking of paths, you said in another interview that Giraffage is just one side of you. So, who else is Charlie Yin?

Giraffage: I’ve always been doing a lot of music, I like to experience different sounds because I feel like Giraffage is a very specific sound and there are so many other sounds that I’d like to explore. I really want to start making techno music, guitar-bass music... and maybe, I’d like to find a band again to play in! On The Move: You are part Taiwanese. How close of the Taiwanese culture were you growing up? Do you feel like these roots influence your sound? Giraffage: I was born in America, my parents are from Taiwan but I studied abroad in Taiwan when I was at university. I was there for six months but I would visit pretty often when I was a child. I am heavily influenced by my surrounding and my identity is very much part of my surrounding. So yes, I think it somehow influences my sound. On The Move: There is a lot of elements in your music. Your electronic sound is usually tied to R’n’B, rock or dream-pop elements. But there’s also a true vibe of early video games, from the 80/90’s. Is it something you’re deliberately adding to your music? Giraffage: Totally! I grew up with a lot of video games. I think just listening to some video games’ soundtracks, which are super repetitive, it gets stuck in your head so I am sure those have made their way into my music. On The Move: How do you work, musically speaking, to find a balance between very organic and digital sound? Giraffage: I really like exploring that organic sound with digital sound. I use a combinaison of a lot of organic sounds. For example, I recorded myself clicking my tongue and that became a big part of my song «Green Tea». There are a lot of sounds like that, hitting my desk for example. On the digital side, I use a lot of software effects and software synthesizers. I love the marriage between those organic and digital worlds. On The Move: How do you consider vocals in this big picture? Giraffage: I treat vocals as another instrument, pretty much. I am not really concerned too much about the lyrical content of the vocals that I sample, it’s more about the melody and how it flows with the rest of the music. Because of that I tend to chop on my vocals a lot and use it more as a complimentary element to the actual music.

On The Move: Which link to you establish between music and visuals?

On The Move: Do you find any influence in the French EDM scene?

Giraffage: It’s really important for me, I try to have a hand on pretty much every visual that goes along with my music. I feel like there’s something about having a song and having a visual that makes things more interesting for me. I grew up watching a lot of music videos. I wanted to go home after school and just watch music videos for six hours every day. So I really like that dancing music with a visual element.

Giraffage: «Cross» by Justice had a big influence on me for example. There’s so much cool music from France.

On The Move: Is this visual side brought to the stage during your shows, too? Giraffage: I usually tour with a DJ. When I was doing a tour in the States for this album, it was basically me and him just collaborating and making a brunch of visuals for the track. It is not necessarily telling a story but I just like when the visual really matches what you are hearing. I think it kind of contextualizes both what you are seeing and what you are hearing as well. There is also this artist Keith Rankin, that made all of the artworks for «Too Real» and whose work I really like. He runs a label called « Orange Milk Records » and he does all the artworks for them as well. He just has a really unique style that I’m very inspired by! His visuals are exactly what I’m trying to capture with my music. It’s really cool!

On The Move: What is your dream collab ? Giraffage: I’ve been listening to a lot of New Order, but maybe like Drake or someone like that.

« I love the marriage between organic and digital worlds » On The Move: What can we expect from you for the future ? Giraffage: I want to explore different genres maybe through side projects or as Giraffage, I didn’t figure that out yet. Yeah, I just want to keep experimenting and keep exploring new sounds and still staying true to making music that I want to listen to. On The Move: Which advice would you give to a new artist who wants to get in the business ? Giraffage: Don’t compromize your artistic integrity, just stay true to yourself and make music that you’d want to listen to yourself.

Giraffage’s album «Too Real», October 2017 ; Illustrations by Keith Ranklin.

INTERVIEW BY CORALINE BLAISE WITH PAM CHARBIT PHOTOS BY NAZYM H. FOR ON THE MOVE

ZOOM ON... With the power of the internet and social medias, aspiring musicians have now a powerful platform in their hands to create music and make themselves heard. And, the public, on the other side, is one click away from discovering an infinity of talented young artists... Each month, the team of On The Move chooses some of them to showcase and bet on their careers, bound to take off in the near future!

MILK TEETH

bringing back punk rock from the 90s

We remember attending this Tonight Alive show in Paris in 2016 and being blown away by the four members of Milk Teeth, a band we had never heard of before, and which was honestly killing it on stage. So, if you’re a fan of Nirvana, Pixies or Guns N’ Roses, this British foursome is for you! Only 26 to 21 years old for the youngest of the band, Becky Blomfied (vocals, bass), Chris Webb (guitar), Billy Hutton (guitar) and Oli Holbrook (drums) have stories to tell! Formed in 2013 in a small town in the heart of the English countryside, the band dropped out of college and did odd jobs to finance their common passion. They released two EPs, each two years apart: «Smiling Politely», which they released independently and «Sad Sack» with the London label Venn Records. Having made appearances on as many scenes as possible despite the lack of opportunities for a punk-rock band, the quartet managed somehow to attract the attention of the American label Hopeless Records (New Found Glory, Neck Deep, Sum 41, Tonight Alive ...). A year later only, their first studio album «Vile Child» was born and enabled them to attract a wider audience, thanks to many tours, one after another, in North America and Europe as a support act for big punk/rock bands such as Against Me!, Creeper, Tonight Alive or Lower Than Atlantis. The raucous «Vile Child» has received a lot of positive reviews on the British rock scene and has also opened the door to renowned festivals like Download, Reading & Leeds, SXSW and Pukkelpop.

“That’s another thing as well, coming from a place like that means that you don’t expect loads and you learn to make do with what you’ve got. So although things have changed now and we’re less of a DIY band now, that ethic is still there because we’ve always had to fight.”

Meanwhile nominated as «Best British Newcomer» by British rock magazine Kerrang, Milk Teeth has been able to prove the credibility of its 90s rock. They expose their own combination of rock and grunge from the 90s merged with their punk inspirations and thus create contrasts fueled all the while by two voices. Contrast between light and darkness, sweetness and sourness but also between melody and intense noise.

We can foresee that being a successful band will still be on the agenda for them in 2018 and later, for them to be able to live off their art. So, we would strongly encourage you to give this ambitious band a chance!

The songs «Brickwork» and «Brain Food» extracted from «Vile Child» are perfect examples of these contrasts. Becky Blomfield’s husky yet harmonious voice contrasts sharply with hard-edged guitars and fast-paced drums. Tracks like «Swear Jar» or «Kabuki» strongly reflect the influence of Nirvana and make the album more complete and accessible. It’s simple, Milk Teeth does not try to create a complex music that redefines a genre, they do what any accomplished punk band does: they’re just «kids» who create simple, straightforward music, with their own positive and enthusiastic attitude.

When they’re not touring, writing or promoting their music, the four band mates still work odd jobs in their hometowns. Now, they are signed by the label Roadrunner Records (Orange Code, Korn, Marmozets, Slipknot...) and have managed to amplify the sound they had established as their signature. With the EPs «Go Away» and «Be Nice» both released in 2017, they show their evolution, remarkable first of all by the obvious improvement of the production. The breadth of the songs remain the same without losing their alternative edge. The two EPs capture the different facets that the band explores today, whether it’s more elaborate melodies, sweeter choruses or passiveaggressive vocals while retaining their grunge signature.

Listen if you are a fan ofAs said above, Milk Teeth gets inspiration from Nirvana, Blink-182 or Guns N’Roses. But if you like the punk-rock scene and young bands such as Creeper, Turnover, or Citizen, you’re right where you’re supposed to be!

One song to listen toPicking one is a serious challenge. «Prism» for its languorous bassline and its heady melodies and «Leona» if you want to scream on the top of your lungs while headbanging.

WordS by LUDIVINE DESUMEUR Photos : Emma Swann FOR DIY MAG

TOWKIO

The FUTURE PRINCE OF US RAP

Chicago’s hip-hop scene definitely doesn’t lack of talents. Its last prodigy to date, Towkio, revealed his debut album «WWW.» this February, in a way none of his fellow rappers ever did. The 24-year old actually flew in a capsule tied to an helium balloon to reach the stratosphere (yes, you read that) and listen to his record 30 000 meters up the earth’s surface. Talk about a communication move! So, who exactly is Towkio ? An artist blending tradition, experimentation and a sense of humour, visibly willing to go « 2 Da Moon » to succeed... Born from a Japanese father and a Mexican mother, Preston Oshita draws inspiration from that mix of cultures. At only 24 years old, Towkio isn’t exactly new in the rap scene. Coming from the North of Chicago, his childhood friends are also the brightest hip-hop revelations of the last 5 years. With Vic Mensa, Chance The Rapper or Joey Purp, he formed the collective Savemoney. But, as each of his infamous colleagues, Towkio obviously carries on a solo project. He first performed under the name of Preston San and Tokyo Shawn. When he was 19, in 2012, he released his first EP « Community Service ». He went on with several more EPs that stayed relatively unnoticed at the time. But thanks to his mixtape « .Wav Theory » in 2015, he met his first critical success : a way to build the foundations of what would become a singular universe. There, he developed a peculiar flow, almost singing, and experimented production and sonorities from the 80’s and 90’s. Vic Mensa, Chance The Rapper or Kaytranada were invited on it : a true gem we invite you to (re)discover. In 2016, Towkio unveiled « Community Service 2 ! ». Among the 7 tracks, « Tear Drop », « Intro (My Calling) » and his collaboration « GWM » (Gang With Me) with Vic Mensa shined out. Towkio earned some more self-confidence and ended up with a more solid project. From there, the young artist threw himself into the production process of his debut album « WWW. » (World Wide .Wav.), eventually released in the most spectacular way on February 23rd (we hope you didn’t skip our article intro!). There, you can find eight brand new songs plus the five singles previously released. « Drift » is somehow a way to reintroduce his universe and his alterego Towkio. Indeed, it took him two years to really figure out how to shape that track. Knox Fortune is on the production... Let us remind you that he won a Grammy for his work on Chance The Rapper’s « Coloring Book ». That being said, Towkio definitely learned from the best. Though the sound and theme of « Drift » are pretty conventional, the author surprises us with a chorus in japanese. An hommage to his roots.

Even if Towkio sometimes looses himself on vocoder, as on minimalistic « Hot Shit », he leans his rap on true melodic settings. « Swim » starts with violon and progressively reaches saturated basses and electronic vibes. The beat speeds up towards deeper hip-hop and synths from the 80’s. Two of the true gems of the album emerge from the collaboration with Teddy Jackson. « 2 Da Moon » is infused with powerful beats, balanced by the enchanting vocals of Grace Weber. Towkio lets his animal part free and howls to the moon, both singing and rapping. On a more franctic rhythm, « Symphony » is introduced by dynamic drums, giving the catchy tone of the whole track and chanelling the spirit of N.E.R.D.’s intro for « She Wants To Move ». A feeling of urgency pours out of it... a true lead for the whole record! You got it, Towkio doesn’t have limits and literally can’t be tamed. Released on prestigious label American Recordings from the legendary Rick Rubin, his record « WWW. » also holds a collaboration with Vic Mensa -the federative « Forever »- and a ethereal duo with SZA, « Morning View». No doubt Towkio has everything required to follow the path of both their careers !

Listen if you are a fan ofThe sound of his colleagues from Savemoney -Vic Mensa, Chance The Rapper, Brian Fresco or Joey Purp- rocked by Macklemore or Lil Dicky’s delicate madness.

One song to listen to« Symphony » for its wild drums, angry bass line and pitched accents you might think were stolen from some vintage video games. Epic!

WordS by NAYANA AUSCHER PHOTO : Jake Osmun FOR STATUS

FICKLE FRIENDS

filling your heart with sunny pop

Looking for some fine pop bangers in the midst of that endless winter? Fickle Friends might be the answer... The quintet forms one of the most exciting indie-pop projects in the UK scene right now and is on the verge of releasing its debut album. Now is the perfect time to get to know them, before their name is on everyone’s lips and ears! Fickle Friends started as common as it can be. It’s the story of four friends who believed in their dreams. Natassja Shiner (vocals, keyboard) and Sam Morris (drums) met at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (Paul McCartney’s music school). The following year the two friends then moved to Brighton to attend college and integrated Jack Wilson (keyboards), Chris Hall (guitar) and Harry Herrington (bass) to form a full band. The quintet has managed to combine studies and music by composing in their bedrooms every time they could. Although they didn’t have a real single to present, Sam Morris sent a demo to British chef and TV host Jamie Oliver, who presents each year a music competition for emerging talents called «Summer Jam». The band won this contest and needless to say, that it opened them many doors. Following the win, Fickle Friends was featured in Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival in 2013 where the band shared the same scene as renowned artists such as the highly talented KT Tunstall. Their lucky star then responded again to the name of Jamie Oliver, as he immediately recognized the potential of the group and took them under his wing by paying for the recording of some songs with a real producer. In 2014, Fickle Friends was on the road, playing on the stages of nearly 30 festivals for that summer only. A steady pace, which allowed them to be prolific and make themselves known quickly. “I’ve had my fair share of heartache and wonderful feelings for people. It’s the thing I find easiest to write about, and the most fluid… It pours out of me. People always comment on the fact that we have upbeat songs but bittersweet lyrics. I like to think about the silver linings.” As common as it started, Fickle Friends has had an unusual journey. After two years working hard and playing on British and European stages without a label or a promoter, the band finally joined the record label Polydor Records in 2015, with which it released two EPs respectively entitled «Velvet» and the most recent «Glue». Since then, the quintet has established itself as one of the most popular

British indie-pop bands, regularly featured in Radio 1’s playlists, with over 14 million hits on Spotify for their debut single «Swim», and by supporting The Kooks on tour or even playing sold-out shows by themselves on a few dates in London. All without even having an album to introduce to the world! “We always wanted to make a record that made people dance and think at the same time. If any of these songs help anyone feel cool, or strong or even just less alone then we’ll have achieved what we wanted.» So what is the so effective recipe of Fickle Friends? The bands promises timeless pop however defined by their own terms. Whether it is with swirling or sunny synths and a groovy bass line, not to mention the spellbinding melodies of the guitar, Fickle Friends speaks to its generation. The texts are intended to be transparent and introspective, addressing topics such as relationships, lack of selfconfidence, anxiety or the art of over-analyzing things. The choruses are catchy and we feel quickly contaminated by this terribly dancing pop as evidenced by the singles «Brooklyn» and «Hard To Be Myself». The fateful hour of the first studio album has arrived and it is with great anticipation that «You Are Someone Else» will appear on March 16, produced by the talented Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys, Two Door Cinema Club, The 1975). So go check them out before it’s too late!

Listen if you are a fan ofThe 1975, Muna, Chvrches, or just indie-pop that makes you want to dance.

One song to listen toUndoubtedly their hit “Swim”, a vibrant and energetic bop that will stay in your mind forever!

WHAT SO NOT For the 7 past years, through 4 EPs and endless tours, Chris Emerson has earned more and more legitimacy on the EDM scene until becoming one of the most influencial Australian producers of his generation. However, his public didn’t have the chance to hear a full What So Not record yet… This month, What So Not’s debut album « Not All The Beautiful Things » is finally out. From the early days of this project with Harley Streten to this day, What So Not has majorly evolved and now delivers more than a 12-track collection, a full and transversal experience. Limitless and fascinating, Chris Emerson says it all about this turning point in his career.

n The Move: Hi Chris! Thanks for having us. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of What So Not?

On The Move: A few weeks ago, Jacob Banks said to us in another interview that « Singing is not a skill. Delivery is. ».

What So Not: I started my music career a very long time ago now. I played drums and I was into rock bands in high school and then, I started DJing. That really stuck with me as such an important part of my life. For the first time, I thought «Oh I really like this, I really love the musical element of it, the idea of being up there.» When you start Djing and you don’t have any music that is yours, it’s really hard to work out there. You have to keep people interested, look at very different groups of people and understand what rhythm are making them dance, understand what pop culture references they might be familiar with and then, you have to kind of sample it in your work. I became fascinated with all that. I’ve always carried that into the way I write music, thinking about what this would do on a dancefloor situation or how this will affect people sitting in a room listening to music! So, I got into production and have been doing that for 6 or 7 years.

What So Not: And I agree with that! The demo of «Be Okay Again» was actually the first time I ever sang. I just recorded it to my phone and showed it to Daniel Johns. I brought it for him to potentially resing it but he was like «One : I really really love this. Two: I don’t think I should resing it, you should sing it yourself» and I was like «Okay, I have never contemplated that but let’s go down this path» and it was great. I just really had to push myself. I had to practice a lot to get that performance right and to get the delivery right and to execute that initial very very sad feeling when I just recorded that alone. It’s been such a great process these last few years, especially on 2017 when I finally got to a point where I could take some time off. I had done a lot of touring and shows and built it up to a certain point where it was actually ideal for me to take a break, rather than it being a problem. It can be very scary for artists to go offline for a while. My good friend Skrillex, who I worked with on the album as well, has just been taking a year and a half off after being on the road for15 years and he said it was the greatest thing he ever did.

On The Move: You’ve been on the musical scene for more than 10 years now, first with Harley Streten then carrying the project on your own. You published multiple EPs and played on the greatest international scenes. Why does 2018 feel like the right time to finally release an album? What So Not: The reason I waited until now to release an album is that I was on tour for probably 5 or 6 years straight. It’s not necessarily what I wanted to do all the time. I definitely would have preferred to just take some time off and sit in a studio to really earn different skills in different areas. There are so many different aspects of production, you need to have a strong comprehension of before you tackle an album. For me, it wasn’t just about producing, I had to learn to be very good at writing, playing multiple instruments, not just doing drums and plugging in some piano notes, really understanding different instruments, some writing songs structures, understanding vocal writing, different tones and textures of both music and voice, recording techniques etc. Vocals is really something I learnt about on the last couple of years and I’ve been very excited about adding it on my own record. The different ways something can be settled or delivered give it a whole new meaning. Daniel Johns said this one thing to me that really stuck with me and I sort of carry it around : «Nothing’s corny if you say it like you mean it.» It is true because it can be some simple words and you say it in a way that can take it to a whole other level...

« I wanted to create an entire body of work with a coesive narrative » On The Move: Finally, you had the time to process everything that has happened to you so fast ! What So Not: Speaking about going so fast, that’s what is scary because the whole scene can change in a year! Look at the shift from a couple years back to now Spotify, the landscape totally changed and what works and what doesn’t has totally changed as well. Of course, that doesn’t determine what is a tasteful and interesting piece of work and music but it does determine the trajectory of people’s career. On The Move: Most of all, Spotify has changed the way we consume music. More and more artists choose to release multiple singles and EPs as opposed to the long process of making and promoting an album. Why did you choose to release a proper album eventually?

What So Not: I think to some degree you have to play the game and to some degree you kinda have to say « Fuck the game ». Both things are really important. For some people and in some aspects, doing an album is going against the current of what makes sense but that is just what I wanted to do artistically. I didn’t wanna be putting out singles tied to the influence of a particular platform so that I sell more tickets when I do a tour. I wanted to create an entire body of work with a coesive narrative. That was very well considered and representative of every aspects of music, of artistry that I wanna do. That’s why I felt I had to do an album. On The Move: Going through your website and watching your videos, especially « Stuck In Orbit », you’re building a strong visual universe. How are you involved in the visual side of the project ? What So Not : For this album, more than the music, I wanted to be stiring the entire project creatively : writing, co-directing music videos, being very involved on all the artworks that have been created, any video content and preshots were doing etc. I wanted to come up with clever new interesting ways to do things. I have been very grateful to work with my friend Luke Eblen who is a film maker. He helped me so much in that vein.

« creativity is just getting YOURSELF on the right frame of mind » On The Move: This universe, between fantasy and UX brutalism... Where does it come from? What So Not: Oh man! I have this theory about creativity and I think that kind of answers the question in a very broad sense. That’s like for the jazz musicians when they are jamming and say they just have it in the pocket... It’s not like they’re planning anything. It’s just happening and it may be the most incredible thing they’ve ever done. I feel like creativity is just us getting ourselves on the right frame of mind. Open up some channels from some other dimension, some other part of ourselves and it just flows out. A prime example is that I know how to write music quite well when I’m producing but I’m not a highly skilled pianist. But then sometimes, I would be jamming on my keyboard, playing this melody and riff and I think : «I can’t have just made that because I don’t know how to!». But it just happened and it sounds great and it’s like the biggest moment in a song now! That’s kind of

my theory on where it comes from. It comes from somewhere else in the universe or elsewhere. I really love to go and exercise and do things to really push myself and my body to exhaustion. In these moments of exhaustion, these ideas just come in. It’s almost like you’re so exhausted you’re not distracted by everything around you in daily life and problems and things you worry about. Suddenly, you just see it clearly. On The Move: You also put that wild atmosphere into your live shows, right? What So Not: That was like this for the stage design that I built for Coachella last year. It just kind of came to me one day. I was like « I think, I need to build a peacock horse ». It ended up being like a vehicle. It comes out of the stage and just comes alive, bringing the whole room to life. That’s a sort of mechanical versus nature hybrid, the essence of all the show visuals I’ve been doing and the sound of my music. Gary Richards, the founder of HARD Events, said when he first saw that : «Wow, this really looks like your music sounds» and I think that was the greatest compliment I was ever given, especially from a big festival promoter. I hope that’s how people also feel. They come to a show and they just step into this whole world. It is more than music! Technology has become so advanced that I hope that sometimes, you’ll just walk into somebody’s show in an event space and it will be all visuals, fans blowing air and gravity simulation or something. You could just really mess with people, like on a roller-coaster. That would be exciting! On The Move: Which conditions are the most auspicious for you to create? On the road, at home? Alone? What So Not: From memory, every song that ended up on the album, maybe apart from one or two, I did start by myself. It started from a moment. All great songs come from capturing a real moment. This essence of truth and honesty and maybe vulnerability. And from there, you kind of expand on it. Often, if I’m bringing a friend to work with me, we’d share ideas and share a report on some sort of circumstances we both find ourselves in. That way, we combine the ideas and channel together to go down this joint part. A hybrid of our two experiences. But all the greatest songs that work and people enjoy seem to come from a very honest place. And just I guess, being vulnerable. A least very much for this album. I am just being really damn honest ! (laughs) and as well, continually throwing myself in a daily challenge. If I have never done something before, then I’m probably going to do this on this album. At least, gonna try it out. Even

if I don’t know what I’m doing ! There is this moment I’m beginning with but also these stories, these images building up around it. I wrote a music video treatment for «Divide & Conquer» which was on my last EP and I had never done that before. This wasn’t hard, I already had it all in my head, it just needed a write-down. Then for this album, I actually essentially wrote a music video, or at least a short story about how I feel about it, for every single song, whether we’re really gonna make a music video or not. Actually sometimes, if I hadn’t finished the song and I wrote all that out, and it actually helped me finished the song. On The Move: What’s hidden behind the title of your new album « Not All The Beautiful Things »? What So Not: This is a big answer to me. I think a lot of times in life, we strive for these big goals, we look far ahead saying « In 10 years, I wanna be this, I wanna do that, be a part of that ». Often, we kind of go through life trying to achieve this big grand things but ignoring so many very important things that we have in front of us everyday. And sometimes, we wake up like « wow, 5 years just went by and I didn’t go anywhere or do anything. I didn’t really get these things that I was chasing ». That’s kind of what the album is about in essence. Sometimes we are trying to reach really far ahead things that maybe are not that important or even just superficial ideas. We lose sight of all the beautiful things around us. We lose sight of all the things that are so big and real but that we see everyday, whether it’s people, family, friends, nature, relationships, whatever it is. Of course, I wanted to have this album out so bad. The title itself and the album I suppose is a tribute of everything that I lost along the way, all the sacrifices I had to make to achieve that thing, and that’s why it is « Not All The Beautiful Things ». On The Move: Is there any track you particularly like in the album ? That feels a bit special ? What So Not: I really do love the total record but a lot of people has said that the most surprising track in this album is probably the collaboration I made with Toto. My old team and Skrillex set up a session and we just kind of jammed into the studio. Steve Lukather had plugged in his guitar and I brought in my laptop and I played some chords, some beats, loops and riffs and we had fun around it. I walked away from that session with a hundred and twenty different bits. And then, I had to frankeinstein it all together. At one point, it was like this 11 minutes 3-part ballad and then eventually, I settled for what the song has become now : «We Keep On Running». I love that the main guitar riff in the song

is actually a synth part that I wrote and just showed Lukather. He said « You know one of the things I first liked about you is that you played me that riff and it was almost unplayable on guitar » but he worked that out and actually played it. It became the essence of the song, this hybrid of the Toto sound and my sound. On The Move: Can you tell us a bit more about how you and Lukather met, in the first place? You’ve been playing Toto’s hit “Africa” in your sets, right? What So Not : I was just playing that record at festivals, because it was a very dark record, sing-along hit and it mixed really well with one of my tracks called «Touched». Now, I have actually an «Africa/Touched» remix that hopefully me and Toto might perform one day! I was doing a lot of shows with Skrillex. He started playing it too and shouting me out for reintroducing the song. Rolling Stone actually hit us up because the song reentered the charts in America and they traced it back to being because me and Skrillex were going around festivals playing « Africa ». Now, I’ve been paying attention to it more and it’s like really big on the internet now ! It is so crazy because the song isn’t really about anything but people seem to just love it.

« My album is a tribute TO everything that I lost along the way » On The Move : You’re going to fully promote your album these next weeks but where is What So Not heading now? Any ambition for the future? What So Not: I’m right now starting to infuse more live elements to my shows. I’ve been conceptualising and building the show for years now and I finally have really some incredible visuals that I feel are very cool thanks to this amazing group of people in Australia We have this lightning sequences, this stage aesthetic, the giant peacock-horse. Now, I’m working at starting to perform some drums again, even bringing an intrumental piece, plugging like an MS20... adding some additional componants to the songs in the show! Once, I have that, that’s all I could ever want, you know! I’m almost there, I’m so close, this is really exciting! Just going around and bringing everyone else into that experience around the world!

INTERVIEW BY CORALINE BLAISE PHOTOS BY DAVID FITT FOR ON THE MOVE

OUR BEST ALBUMS

OF FEBRUARY Every week of the year, a bunch of records are thrown into the world, portraying the singular influences, universe and sound of artists. Do you get lost in the numerous releases? On The Move Mag is here to help. This month, as always, we opened our ears and dived into what matters most : music! Whatever genre suits you, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find something new to discover... Here are our favourite albums released in February.

The Prince of Pop – the status he inherited after he left N’Sync to go solo – has finally made his return in music and it’s definitely one hell of a comeback. For his fifth album, Justin Timberlake was undoubtedly inspired by his new life as a dad («Flannel», «Young Man») and his role of a husband in love («Hers (interlude)», «Higher Higher»), as well as his origins in Tennessee, where country was born. Indeed, new musical influences make themselves known, especially blues. But rest assured that the R&B that propelled him to the top in the years 2000 and 2010 has not been wiped out of its repertoire. «Man of the Woods» is a bare exposure, a very touching unveiling of oneself that shows that Justin Timberlake worked hard to tell us about his life experience and his maturity. As a result, we are graced with beautiful and deep lyrics, catchy sounds and an interesting mix of genres.

Top 3 tracks : Sauce, Higher Higher, Supplies

Justin Timberlake – Man of the Woods Five years after the success of their debut album “Woman” as a duo, Rhye – which is now the project of Mike Milosh only – continues to bewitch us with the delicate and silky tone that forces comparisons with Sade’s voluptuous voice. Rhye’s recipe is to play the card of sensuality through minimalistic music. With «Blood», the soulful influence of the melodies is perfectly counterbalanced by the electronic instrumental combined with Mike Milosh’s aerial and androgynous voice. Intrinsically linked, the exploration of emotion, passion and break-ups are topics that Rhye regularly addresses. Listening to this album you will find yourself in a floating state: «Blood» is a delightful piece, somehow groovier, whose mystical atmosphere plunges us into the heart of sensuality.

Top 3 tracks : Feel Your Weight, Phoenix, Sinful

Rhye – Blood

Son Lux continues their ascent with «Brighter Wounds», fifth album on their long discography. Since 2008, they have forged their unique and remarkable musical identity and today the American trio continues to create bridges between symphonic EDM and experimental pop. Each of the songs in “Brighter Wounds” transforms into an odyssey that defies perceptions and emotions and plays with unique textures. Son Lux goes into the sensitive part of lyricism, as well as constantly changing rhythmic to provoke a rollercoaster of emotions to the listener as the tracks go on. There’s not much more to say except that Son Lux is one of the few bands that knows how to really experiment and challenge their creativity in order to deliver a flawless bouquet of mesmerizing compositions.

Top 3 tracks : Dream State, The Fool You Need, Surrounded

Son Lux – Brighter Wounds Watch out, this album was dropped from outer space... almost literally! Hip-hop sensation Towkio flew on a capsule to launch his debut album from the stratosphere, and it says a lot about his slight craziness. Being a part of the Savemoney crew with Vic Mensa or Chance The Rapper augured well for his career. But releasing a brilliant debut album all comes back to his talent, boldness and improbable yet genious blended culture. When you’re raised by Japanese/ Mexican parents in the melting pot of Chicago, how could your music be anything but flamboyant? Each of Towkio’s track is infectious for its own reason : the irresistible urgency of «Symphony», the anthem-spirit of «Forever» or Soulja boy’s «Crank That»’s phantoms in «Drift». Being a very accurate rapper, Towkio structures his melodies with different layers, from delicate symphonic surges to the most efficient -and mainstream- digital elements. Understanding the best of every worlds, Towkio could be one of these artists to overtop the limits of his own field to become a real figure in the international pop culture.

Top 3 tracks : Symphony, 2 Da Moon, Alone

TOWKIO - WWW.

You couldn’t have gone through the 2000s without listening to MGMT’s « Time to Pretend », « Kids » or « Electric Feel ». Four years and a half after their latest album - that met a mixed reception-, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser are back with explosive sonorities and incisive themes in «Little Dark Age». On a synthetic and psycheledic fun sound, they actually depict the drifts and -mostly psychological- violence of our society. From the superficial relationship of « She Works Out Too Much » to the disparity of classes bluntly exposed in « When You’re Are Small », each tracks in MGMT’s new opus is a punch, shaking the mess of our current crazy times. You can either choose to simply enjoy that -sometimes absurd- twirl of rock, synth-pop and mad electro or take a deep plunge into the lyrics. Inhabited by that constant spirit of denunciation, they will at least make you have a thought about the world we’re living in, or at best have you decide to make a change in our little dark age... while dancing!

Top 3 tracks : Little Dark Age, TSLAMP, One Thing Left To Try

MGMT - LITTLE DARK AGE

Going against the frantic current of our society, the members of Lo Moon took their time to build their debut album. The result is a beautiful and organic trip through the whole spectrum of love. The trio -formed of vocalist Matt Lowell, bassist Crisanta Baker and guitarist Samuel Stewart- wanted to create a world around their music. This album is a deep plunge into it, a universe with contrasted atmospheres and thousands of nuances. The band unravels hovering and epic tracks -such as 7-minute «Loveless»-, glimmering synthpop or flamboyant rock to eventually build a field for textures experimentation. They display their soft power of bewitchment on melodies while going for not so peaceful, sometimes painfully honest lyrics. Genuine and glorious!

Top 3 tracks : Real Love, Loveless, Wonderful Life

LO MOON - LO MOON

Bea Miller has finally dropped her brand new album! Introduced by three different EPs, five new songs have been included on «Aurora», in addition to all the previous tracks released on chapter one: blue, chapter two: red, and chapter three: yellow. From what we’ve heard, this album is a collection of what the young rising star is capable of : simple tracks with moody lyrics that showcases her transition from adolescence to adulthood. Talking about what matters, Bea’s voice is either raspy like on «Motherlove», or soft, heavy and emotional like on «I Can’t Breathe». With 14 tracks, the young singer has clearly smashed our expectations.

Top 3 tracks : Song Like You, Motherlove, Girlfriend

BEA MILLER - AURORA

We heard you, still whistling «Riptide» after five years... With that one song, Vance Joy’s destiny changed tremendously. The Australian singer-songwriter got to release his debut album «Dream Your Life Away» internationally in 2014 right before travelling the world as part of Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour. Some might have think it was too big and too fast to last. But Vance Joy never meant to let go of that open path. So, he took his time and surrounded himself with some serious producers (Dan Wilson (Adele, Pink), Justin Parker (Lana del Rey, Banks) etc.) to finally deliver «Nation Of Two». His tracks are still as simple and luminous : easily memorable, irresistibly catchy, a bit more personal even. His clear voice and uplifting strings is still the winning match, spiced up at times with discrete piano, smooth percussions and uplifting brasses. The honest troubadour said that he wanted a second album that would maintain the same standards as the first one but with more solid songs. So, nothing really changed, but is that so bad while it is still good to the ears and the heart?

Top 3 tracks : We’re Going Home, Saturday Sun, Like Gold

Vance Joy - NATION OF TWO 35

12 FEMALE ARTISTS

TO REDEFINE POP

These last few years have definitely been an awakening for women overall... From a wider liberation of words and bodies to the public report of all sexist, bullying figures, society is working more than ever to achieve a too-long awaited gender equality. And music is no stranger to that movement. The following female artists are young, honest, determined, talented. Some might call them bold but most of all, they are themselves. No more perfect, sleek pop sensations, shaped by the business. We chose 12 of them but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the face of a wider change. One celebrating self-emancipation and fearlessness in creativity we will never cease to support!

MARIKA HACKMAN Marika Hackman is not afraid of doing or saying whatever she wants. She used to model for British brand Burberry (although she claims being awkward in front of the camera) alongside her high-school friend Cara Delevingne before diving into music. Her awkwardness, however, seems completely wiped off when you listen to her. You know music is where she definitely belongs. She sings with an incredibly aggravated sensibility –which she transforms as powerfulness – and goes even further in her personal art. How? By opening her horizons to melodic ideas whose maturity meets an ever stronger urgent need to express her experiences and challenges in an engaging way. Her music is introspective, unrivalled, somehow rebel and don’t tell her what to do, she knows where she’s going.

BILLIE EILISH Billie Eilish is not your typical favorite pop singer. At only 15 years old, Billie is fierce, daring and intimidating up-and-comer and, trust us, she has a lot to say. With an acclaimed debut EP, a sold-out tour, and more than 3 million monthly streams on Spotify, she might be considered as a prodigy in the music industry. In 2016, she gained popularity with her song «Ocean Eyes», written by her brother. Two years after it was uploaded, the haunting, harmony-filled ballad has over 2 millions streams on Soundcloud. Though she’s young, don’t expect her to play the innocent card : her angelic voice doesn’t match her sadistic and sharp lyrics. She’s unconventional, she’s Billie Eilish.

Hayley Kiyoko Meet the new pop icon, Hayley Kiyoko! With truthful and engaging songs, she is truly changing pop music. From being a Disney actress, to being the voice of the LGBT+ community, she shows honesty, self-acceptance and turns down prejudice. The artist combines flawless authenticity with a bubbly and catchy pop. Her songs are sensual, determined and ambitious, with the aim of normalizing same-sex couples in the music industry. We particularly appreciate her cinematic-looking music videos, her mastered storylines and the dreamy colors that give a complementary approach to the lyrics. Hayley Kiyoko co-directs all her music videos, adding a new talent to her long list. There are not enough artists like her, although, it is slowly evolving. Inspirational!

AMY SHARK

Sometimes, all it takes is one song. But it doesn’t mean she didn’t work hard or didn’t challenge her creativity. Coming all the way from Australia, you definitely heard her hit single “Adore”. With only one EP, Amy Shark was last year’s “it girl” musically speaking. Singersongwriter, producer, filmmaker, she does it all! The Aussie singer has a distinct sound, as heard in the guitar part at the beginning of “Adore”. Her cathartic, intense and –most importantly – personal texts are carried by melodies as hybrid as surprising in which she fuses romantic themes in a way nobody ever did before. Her songs come haunting you like a ghost, reflecting of what has happened or what could happen. She’s now working on new music with Blink-182’s bassist Mark Hoppus, and we can’t wait to hear how her debut album will turn out.

JADE BIRD Jade Bird picked up a pen to write songs at the age of 12 and eight years later, she has filled hundreds of pages... Out of it, the ancient alumni of BRIT School picked five songs to structure a strong and organic EP, somewhere between country, folk and blues. «Something American» was released in July 2017 and it caught the attention of fellow musicians, such as First Aid Kit or Tom Odell, she eventually opened for. Her latest single «Lottery» marks her first steps towards a debut album she describes as «brighter, more optimistic and colourful.» Having been raised in an Army family that moved a lot, Jade Bird is a child of the world, explaining why every of her songs triggers in us a refreshing feeling of wanderlust.

SIGRID You definitely want to be her friend. At only 21, Sigrid managed to take out the BBC Sound Of 2018 award within a year of releasing her EP «Don’t Kill My Vibe». If you think that it’s impressive, keep in mind that she only started doing music four year ago because of her brother. Quickly finding her voice, she delivered stunning bangers as well as mature and impressive songs that sound like a defiant middle finger to anyone who dare to underestimate her or «elegant f*ck you anthem» as the singer would describe it. By using her negative experience and feelings and turning them into brightful and positive pop songs, Sigrid is one of those relatable artists that you just can’t dislike. Get your ears ready!

ALMA Something in the tapwater of North-European countries must turn the children into pop prodigies... Coming from Finland, Alma is the latest ardent storm to potentially hit the old continent. She once was a contestant in the Finnish version of Idols but didn’t win at that time. It was only to come back to the scene two years later, brighter and bolder than ever. She bears some kind of anger (from the dark cold winters of Finland, she says), a punk spirit that makes her pop everything but boring. Her raspy voice set on tropical house serves a vibrant triptych on her EP «Dye My Hair». Following single «Chasing Highs» is an absolute banger and for latest «Phases», Alma collaborated with French Montana on the music and Charli XCX on the video. She is also the voice of Martin Solveig’s hit «All Stars». Everything about Alma screams freedom, impertinence (and success!)... and we’re all in for it!

BEA MILLER Since she was discovered on The X Factor USA, Bea Miller has been a very busy girl. From touring with Selena Gomez to headlining her very own tour, releasing several EPs and a successful debut album «Not An Apology», Bea seems to never stop working and is one of the most promising artists of her generation. In early February, she released her EP entitled «Chapter One: Blue», which featured 3 songs including her single «Song Like You». The next chapter of the trilogy «Chapter Two: Red» and «Chapter Three: Yellow» led the way to a brilliant second album «Aurora». Keep an eye on this rising star!

SASHA SLOAN The voice of this 22 year old might sound familiar. It is probably because this singer-songwriter has worked on some of the greatest hits of 2017. You can hear her on «Phoenix» by Kaskade, «Falls» by Odesza or Kygo’s «This Town». You might also have listened to her words for Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello and Charli XCX. But now she is ready to fly solo. This artist from Los Angeles develops soft and intimate pop music. She has just released two new singles. «Normal» is a catchy pop song where she talks about how she tried to fit in when she was younger and how it made her took the wrong decisions. At the same time, she dropped «Falls», a lovely piano ballad about seeking closure after a breakup. With only four singles, the talentuous Sasha Sloan has built her own kind of pop: dark, melancholic with a hint of brightness. If indie-pop is your thing, her soft vocals are definitely worth a listen!

BISHOP BRIGGS Influenced by British pop-rock, Motown music and Japanese karaoke, Bishop Briggs’ universe is one of a kind! Her first hit « River » is a bold and explosive anthem supported by strong drums and trap influence. Born Sarah Grace McLaughlin, Bishop Briggs is also a fantastic songwriter. She finds her inspiration between dreams and personal experiences. Her self-titled EP released last april, presents 6 energic tracks. Among them, you can find the beautiful «The Way I Do», «River» and her debut single «Wild Horses». Bishop Briggs’ intimate, poetic and metaphoric lyrics are often embodied by a heavy bassline. If her instrumentations are mostly pop and dance driven, Brigg’s vocals bring a powerful rock energy. She has recently dropped «White Flags» an hymn about never giving up. This bold and fierce British girl will release her debut album «Church of Scars» on April 20.

JESSIE REYEZ Powerful, raw and unpredictable, meet Jessie Reyez, the girl who’s about to shake the music industry. By mixing hip-hop, pop, soul, R&B and more, she paints and depicts a realistic world with her words and lyrics, using her personal experience and very own difficult past. She rose to fame with her song «Gatekeeper», a gloomy song talking about her attempt to gain a foothold in the industry. With her soulful voice and strong yet soft personality, she’s one of those singers that are leading a whole new generation of female artists unafraid to raise their voices to be heard. Dream big Jessie, we’re with you on this one!

KAILEE MORGUE

Although she is only 19, Kailee Morgue is a mature American singer and songwriter. She is definitely representative of the new generation since, like many young artists nowadays, she has mainly gained success and recognition thanks to social media – especially SoundCloud and Youtube. Gwen Stefani and the Pink Floyd are part of her main inspirations and so is mythology. Indeed, her biggest hit was inspired and named after the mythological character of Medusa. Far from the colourful and cheerful pop that we can expect from a young woman, Kailee Morgue sticks to who she really is and writes music which is rather dark and captivating. Her first EP is composed of four songs : « Discovery », « Ghost of Mine », « Unfortunate Soul » and « Medusa ». Her style is both eccentric and clean and we are loving it.

ARE THEY WORTH

SEEING LIVE ?

X FACTOR LIVE TOUR J

ust like every year, the acts who made it to the semi-final of the X Factor UK hit the road in Ireland and the United Kingdom for a tour. This year, people had the opportunity to see the Rak-Su on stage – the successful winners of the competition and the first group to have won since Little Mix in 2011. They were accompanied by The Cutkelvins, who are siblings and four solo acts named Grace Davies, Matt Linnen, Kevin Davy White and Lloyd Macey. Finally, there was also Sean and Conor Price. They were added to the lineup thanks to the viewers’ vote. From their first date in Belfast on February 16th to their last one in Brighton, they all really enjoyed meeting the people who had supported them for weeks. During the show, the ex-contestants sang the most memorable songs of the season and each performance had a scenography worthy of a TV show : dancers, flames flashing on stage... As a result : the audience attended a high quality show which still remained convivial. And, contrary to what you could be thinking, this concert was not only constituted by covers! Indeed, a couple of artists, especially Grace Davies and the Rak-Su, have brought a real renewal to the last season of the X Factor UK by singing their original songs – even during the live shows. A new approach which paid off since the talents in question were the two finalists.

Kevin Davy White

Besides several group performances, each act interprets about 4 or 5 songs and this is Kevin Davy White who gets the ball rolling with a rock piece that perfectly matches with his artistic universe. Indeed, the French singer who now lives in England kicked the show off with « A Whole Lotta Love » - a song originally performed by Led Zeppelin. Kevin Davy White is also a very good musician and had seduced the judges thanks to his powerful cracked voice. During the show, he also sings « Come Together » by the Beatles, « Fast Love » by George Michael and, accompanied by Lloyd Macey and Matt Linnen, « Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me ». As for Grace Davies, the only female solo artist of the tour, she only does one cover on stage : « Life on Mars » by David Bowie. She sings it with softness and sensitivity. Then, she opts for the songs she wrote herself. Her personal compositions are what mainly made her successful in the different steps of the competition. The 21 years old artist from Blackpool started to write songs when she was a teenager. Grace Davies first moved the judges when she sang « Roots » for her audition. On tour, she interprets it on stage as well as two other original pieces : « Wolves » and « Too Young ». The two other solo artists of the tour are Matt Linnen and Lloyd Macey. The first one has a voice which is rather deep and cracked whereas the second has what we could call an angelic voice. In fact, Lloyd Macey sings one of his most successful songs on stage : « Lay Me Down ». A touching moment which takes place right among the audience, not on the main stage. Throughout the concert, he also performs « Fix You » by Coldplay and « City of Stars » from the original soundtrack of the movie La La Land. As for Matt Linnen and his soul voice, he especially covers « Falling » by Alicia Keys and « Scars to Your Beautiful » by Alessia Cara. Sean and Conor Price are the Irish of the line-up. Everytime

they sing a song, they manage to make it their own thanks to rap. It is the specialty of Sean, the older of the two brothers. In this way, the youngest of the tour performs, for instance, their own version of « Issues » by Julia Michaels and share moments of complicity on stage. Another group of siblings is part of the show : The Cutkelvins, from Scotland. Shereen is the main singer of the group and is accompanied by Kyle and Jay, her brothers. If you knew the Neon Jungle, then you may recognize the young woman’s face since she was part of this girlband. The pop trio covers international hits such as « Havana » by Camila Cabello and « What About Us » by P!nk. Now is the time to talk about the Rak-Su, the headliner of the tour thanks to their spectacular victory several months ago. The group is formed by four friends from Watford : Ashley, Jamaal, Mustafa and Myles. It was not love at first sight with the judges of the 14th season of the X Factor UK but, as soon as they began to sing their original song « Feeling You » during their audition, their potential won unanimous support. On tour, they perform a total of 5

Sean & Conor Price

personal compositions : « Touché », « Flowers », « Mona Lisa », « Feeling You » and « Dimelo ». In 2017, it was then the first time ever that the official single of the winning talent - « Dimelo » - was not a cover. An historic turning-point for the TV show according to their mentor Simon Cowell. Besides the opportunity to record their original song in a studio, the Rak-Su were able to work with Naughty Boy and Wyclef Jean to create the studio version of « Dimelo ». Mixing rap, rather Latin influences and dancing steps which are quite simple but very effective, their performances are always lively and dynamic. We hope to see them releasing an album very soon! Rak-Su will be touring as support-act with Little Mix for their «Summer Hits Tour 2018». There really was something for every taste on this tour! Although the talents are very different from each others, they all are promising. So go listen to them, you won’t be disappointed!

Grace Davies

WORDS AND PHOTOS by COLINE GAILLARD

Mustafa, Jamaal, Myles and Ashley from Rak-Su

BILLIE EILISH A

few weeks back, our team was at Le Petit Bain to attend the very awaited Parisian show of Billie Eilish. At only 16, the American singer-songwriter conquers soldout venues all around the world, with highly energetic performances. And no need to say that she is expected everywhere she sets a foot... Here in Paris, there was not a ticket left available for weeks. And you just needed to enter the room on the night of the show to measure the crowd’s feverishness. Even before Eilish hit the stage, the public -composed with young fans and not so young curious- was shouting repetedly « Billie, Billie, Billie ». Later, they would sing along with the singer at every occasion given. Since the release of her EP « don’t smile at me » in summer 2017, Billie Eilish has become one of the most promising acts in international pop music. The record was co-written and produced by Eilish’s brother, Finneas O’Connell. And it seems like talent is running through the family, since O’Connell accompanies his sister during the whole show and even proposes a convincing solo composition sometimes mid-concert.

« Bored » and moving « Six Feet Under ». Billie Eilish’s songs broadcasts all of her influences, from R&B to Jazz, creating an hybrid pop and giving her an air of casual crooner. Her dance moves reflects her singing, minimal but dynamic... And it’s all Eilish needs to electrify the room with her magnetism. After her brothers’ performance, Billie carried on with a surprising cover : Drake’s « Hotline Bling » on a ukulele. The track almost melted with the next ballad -her own- « Party Favor », always accompanied by the instrument. During the whole show, the crowd encouraged her and sang their heart out (sometimes covering the singer’s voice, blame it on the venue’s imperfect acoustic) but also knew when to respect a religious silence and carefully listen to the smoother tracks. This soft sentiment was confirmed by « Ocean Eyes », a vulnerable and delightful song, sad and serene at the same time. That benevolence, Billie gived it back to the public when, between songs, she let go of her performer’s mask to allow a sincere and grateful young girl to shine.

Although the whole show only lasted 45 minutes, Eilish proved she is worth her status of new pop icon. Her music is her privileged way to transcribe her teenage experience in a both fresh and mature, mostly clever way. The fragility in her soft voice is constantly counterbalanced by her nonchalant energy, transforming the live experience in some kind of a roller-coaster. That feeling of constrasts runs through her whole proposition : delivering rough emotions with a disconcerning self-confidence, warming up the public with biting « what the fuck is up » on a crystal tone.

Eventually, the atmosphere warmed up one last time with some more dancing tracks such as « My Boy » and « COPYCAT ». It was already time for Billie Eilish to end her set, asking for the audience to jump till they sink the boat! What a successful night for Billie Eilish. If we wanted to play with words, we’d say the young artist has literally overflown that little bath (Le Petit Bain in french) in every sense of the way, with a both angelic and devilish pop. Watch out... you’ll hear about that musical breaker again!

Power and lightness coexisted from the firsts songs, « Bellyache », « idontwannabeyouanymore », « watch »,

WORDS AND PHOTOS by Anastasia Bensoussan

WHAT’S NEXT? THE SHOWS NOT TO MISS

AQUILO Europe : from March 12th (Amsterdam, Netherlands) to April 19th (London, UK)

BASTILLE REORCHESTRATED Europe : from April 10th (Manchester, UK) to April 20th (Lucerne, Switzerland)

HARRY STYLES LIVE ON TOUR Europe : from March 11th (Basel, Switzerland) to April 16th 2018 (Dublin, Ireland) + April 21st (Perth, Australia) to June 2nd (Mexico) + America : from June 5th (Dallas, TX) to July 14th 2018 (Los Angeles, CA)

MAHALIA Europe : from March 6th (Bristol, UK) to April 18th (Berlin, Germany)

MACKLEMORE

AMY SHARK North-America : from March 1st (Edmonton, Canada) to March 14th (Allston, MA) + Europe : from March 19th (London, UK) to March 29th (Zurich, Switzerland)

X AMBASSADORS North-America : from March 16th (Yountville, Canada) to June 10th (Cleveland, OH) + Europe : from March 19th (London, UK) to March 31th (Kiev, Ukraine)

KENSINGTON Europe : from March 1st (Utrecht, Netherlands) to April 20th (Paris, France)

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS Europe : from March 11th (Köln, Germany) to May 3rd (Berlin, Germany)

Europe : from March 30th (Manchester, UK) to May 26th (Hannover, Germany) + NorthAmerica (w/ Kesha) : from June 6th (Phoenix, AZ) to August 5th (Tampa, FL)

FIRST AID KIT

THE CHAINSMOKERS

JESSIE WARE

Europe : from March 1st (Munich, Germany) to March 10th (Copenhagen, Denmark) + Asia : from March 27th (HongKong, China) to March 30th ( Jakarta, Indonesia)

THE SCRIPT Europe : from March 1st (Köln, Germany) to March 23th (Lisbon, Portugal) + Asia : from April 10th ( Jakarta, Indonesia) to April 28th (Bangkok, Thailand)

Europe : from March 1st (London, UK) to March 19th (Helsinki, Finland) + Australia : from April 1st (Byron Bay Nsw) to April 7th (Melbourne) Europe : from March 1st (Köln, Germany) to April 1st (Bournemouth, UK) + North America : from April 15th (Indio, CA) to May 11th (Washington DC)

GEORGE EZRA Europe : from March 29th (Leeds, UK) to April 14th (Köln, Germany) + North America : from April 20th (Toronto, Canada) to May 13th (Los Angeles, CA)

JACOB BANKS We know his soulful, raspy voice hits you right in the heart through a screen... So imagine on an actual scene! Get to know more about Jacob Banks by reading his interview on our previous mag and above all, don’t miss him live. Europe : from March 13th (Köln, Germany) to March 29th (Stockholm, Sweden)

VANCE JOY Europe: from March 6th (Leeds, UK) to March 25th (Manchester, UK)

DVSN Europe : from March 11th (Dublin, Ireland) to April 4th (Stockholm, Sweden)

WHAT’S UP LOLO ZOUAI, A BURNING HOPE ON R&B

IN FRANCE ? KRIILL, A DUET TO WATCH

Born in Paris, raised in San-Francisco, and now settled in New-York, Lolo Zouai has apparently seen and heard enough about urban music to make her own solid move into the scene. All well-informed eyes have been on this 22 year-old sensation since the release of her hypnotic single « High Highs To Low Lows ». Produced by Stelios (who shaped some of the hottest tracks of A$AP Ferg featuring Big Sean, MIA or SZA), the song is as sensual as it is ambiguous, with lyrics applying both to the emotional roller-coaster of a relationship... and the beginning of a music career! She wrote about it on social media : «That feeling when the song you wrote about not being paid got you paid!» With subtle French words slipping between English lines, her laid-back 90’s infused R’n’B is taken to a whole other level. A vulnerable yet fierce result. If you dive a little, you’ll find a bunch of other charming tracks linked to her name. Latest to date, «Blue» goes deeper into the mix of languages while broadcasting a wider vocal range. The soulful song, at times channeling oriental vibes, fades away in a futuristic hip-hop outro. Delicate and surprising! On the edge of a promising career, Lolo Zouai is an independent artist that definitely knows who to collaborate with! She has already been involved in H.E.R’s project «Vol.2» and has just reveal a collab with Myth Syzer. Plus, when you know she has ressources herself (she wrote her first song at 6 years old and taught herself how to play guitar and piano), the rest of history can only be about success! Expect a debut EP this year.

Belonging to the electronic field, they describe their universe as soft and heavy at the same time, playing with slow tempos and aquatic sounds. This marine obsession also comes in their name, the krill being a tiny crustacean of cold waters. Inspired by Radiohead, James Blake and Massive Attack, they made a memorable appearance in the current season of The Voice France, where they covered the Bee Gees’ «Stayin’ Alive» in an airy and unique way. They eventually had 3 out of 4 members of the jury to turn on their chairs and chose britannicolibanese artist Mika as their coach. The famous singersongwriter even compared Klaar’s vocals to Bronski Beat’s leader’s ones. Their latest cover of Flume & Chet Faker’s «Drop The Game» is also brilliantly led and wrapped in some irresistible reggae vibes. This unusual rendition says a lot about what Kriill is capable of for the rest of their TV journey... and for their future own material. Long live Kriill !

We’re not exactly used to talk about talents this early in their career but we see such a potential in this duet that now feels like the right to time to introduce them... Kriill is a project built by Klaar and Richard after meeting in a French conservatoire, three and a half years ago.

Barbara Pravi, soft pop and sharp lyrics HYPHEN HYPHEN, HEADING TOWARDS THEIR SOPHOMORE ALBUM

From 2011 to 2015, driven by an endless energy, Hyphen Hyphen toured in France, building up their reputation through live performances... And eventually in 2015, the quatuor coming from Nice and formed by Santa (vocals), Adam (guitar), Line (bass) and Zac (drums) dropped their debut album: an electro pop-bomb that had everybody talking about them in a matter of weeks. «Times» was a collection of anthemic tracks. The melodies were driven by a disarming power and the lyrics by a sharp pen with an hint of impertinence... With a perfectly crafted music also came a solid visual identity, Hyphen Hyphen leaving nothing to chance. So it was only natural to see them win a ‘Victoire de la Musique’ the following year, for Performing Revelation! In the meantime, Zac has parted ways but that doesn’t prevent Hyphen Hyphen, as a trio, to want to overcome the challenge of a sophomore record. They’ve just came back with the single «Like Boys» and trust us, the best is yet to come! This daring new track is as infectious as Hyphen Hyphen’s previous material but succeeds in being surprising, with a fresh urban touch. Lyrically, they are as fierce as ever, screaming for emancipation : «When I say no, NO means hell no! Play it solo! Know you are my worst hangover! (...) I don’t even like boys, Don’t you understand.» The single can be interpretated as a feminist signal but beyond, as a call for sexual and sensual freedom. Brighter, bolder, broader? Recorded in AIR’s studio, coached by Guy Roche (who worked with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera), mixed by Maxime Leguil ( Justice, Radiohead, Melody Gardot…) with a mastering from Vlado Meller (Kanye West, Ibeyi, Frank Ocean…), Hyphen Hyphen’s second album promises to be everything we’re hoping for... and more!

Surprisingly, her music doesn’t focus on just one genre. Beside pop music, her repertoire is way much wider : from moody melodies to strong and soft ballads with a hint of piano. Her first single «Pas Grandir» taken from her first album «Déda, Sarah et les Autres» has a nice modern touch, but what really capture our attention is the purity in her voice. «Its an eclectic album I’d say. It’s very autobiographical too, so it’s about me and my experiences. I don’t talk about love that much. I was a waitress for several years so there’s a song about this experience, and then there’s a song called «Déda», on which I talk about my grandfather. That’s me and my life.» For now Barbara Pravi is touring with one of the greatest French artist : Florent Pagny. keep an eye on her, along with Vianney, Amir and some other great names, she has a bright career ahead!

It only took one song for Barbara Pravi to win the French music lovers over. She’s only 24 but her voice is as clear and soft as crystal and her bright personnality shines through her songs. Last year, she gained popularity by starring in the French musical «Un été 44», but this time, she seems to be ready to be her very own star. In her songs, written in french, the young singer talks about love, feminism but also her everyday life.

WORDS by CORALINE BLAISE AND LéNAELLE FONTAINE

OTM TEAM PAM

founder, editorial director I spend most of my time apologizing to my favorite streaming platform for ripping off their «add to playlist» button. When i’m not looking for new artists to talk to you about I drown myself in a sea containing a mix of old R&B and punk-rock sound. Sometimes I go to concert venues more often than I go to bed and I listen to music even when I sleep. I’ll be probably deaf in 40 years but knowing you’ll discover new artists through this mag makes everything worthwhile.

CORALINE

graphic designer, writer

Wannabe architect, musical writer by passion. I am in love with matter, music and words. Drunk with british indie-rock and popfolk. I guess my wildest dream would be designing and building a gig venue, for which I would decide the opening line-up. In the meantime, I am the curly girl with too much hair, front row.

LéNAELLE

writer Meet the youngest of the crew ! Aspiring music journalist and communication student, I spend most of my free time surrounded by books and hot chocolate. Basically obsessed with british pop music and indie artists, if you’re looking for me you’ll probably find me singing my heart out at a concert. if i could turn back time, i’d definitely pop to the Panic! At The Disco show in Chicago in 2008.

LUDIVINE

writer Who am I, in a nutshell? I am a daydreamer, a traveler at heart, a concert addict and I see beauty in everything. Music is my escape route and my best friend. People say that have an eclectic taste in music which is true although you’ll see me mostly at rock shows. Fun fact: I actually own a guitar since I was 4 and I still don’t know how to play. I am also the girl that’s like «Hey you gotta listen to this!» and 2 hours later we’re still on YouTube... Oops!

NAYANA

writer I am working in communication and design. I always loved music but I never thought about writing about it. Now, it is part of my everyday life and I am loving it ! On my free time, if I am not at a gig, I am probably in a movie theater or talking too much about my new favorite TV Shows. You can always find me at festivals, failing desperatly to see everything. Also travelling is awesome but with well-crafted indie playlists, it’s better !

COLINE

writer

If it were possible, I would probably live in a concert venue! Gigs are, without any hesitation, the events I appreciate the most. Addicted to pop music, tattoos, Youtube, The Greatest Showman original soundtrack, TV shows and Disney movies, I always love to discover new artists and talk about them with my friends. Professionally speaking, my biggest dream would be to have a fashion or music-related job. I guess I just need art to be part of my life!

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