The enigmatic Plain Mister Smith continues to mesmerize his audience with his latest single, ‘Grade Five and the Axe’ (feat. Findlay Brown), which was released on February 9th through Popoganda Records. Maintaining a distinctive presence in the indie-folk scene, Plain Mister Smith showcases clever songwriting while embracing the introspective and emotional themes inherent in the genre. Formerly a guitarist for the Canadian darkwave band Moev, this versatile artist now plays cello for the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra. As Plain Mister Smith, his music has garnered significant support from publications such as CLASH Mag, NOTION Mag, Under The Radar Mag, EARMILK, NOCTIS Mag, METAL Mag and Atwood Mag, among others.
‘Grade Five and the Axe’ is an eclectic indie folk track that evokes memories of the clumsy mischief of one’s youth. Acoustic guitar interspersed with expressive cello notes and other atmospheric strings with simple folk-rock drums create a strong sense of a story being told – or reminisced. Plain Mister Smith’s and Findlay Brown’s lilting vocals further enhance the nursery-rhyme nature of the song’s story; a playful ode to preteen shenanigans.
Plain Mister Smith divulged: “Kids get up to crazy things. A blurry memory of getting drunk in the woods in Grade Five while a friend swung an axe around, and maybe at some point believing the axe has splintered me in two…”
London-born Dancehall and Hip-hop artist, freelance A&R, model and actor Yung Saber has just released an infectiously feel-good new single, ‘Gucci Prada’, on January 26th, 2024. Boasting over 10 million streams across all platforms, Yung Saber stormed the UK Dancehall scene with his track ‘Tump & Kick’, which became an international hit and earned radio plays across the globe in 2021. He went on to do two remixes, the first one featuring Stylo G followed by an All-star remix featuring UK Dancehall trailblazers Big Zeeks, Shanti Force, The Rara, Doktor & Irah. Saber has performed at MADEFestival, Brighton Harbour Festival, Glastonbury, Notting Hill Carnival with Amazon, +44, and many other venues throughout the UK. He has appeared on several BBC radio shows such as Rampage, Seani B and BBC 1Xtra. In February 2023, he attended BBC Maida Vale Session with Seani B and performed his hit single ‘Karl Kani’ with a live band for BBC dancehall weekender.
Influenced by the likes of Super Cat and Vybz Kartel, Yung Saber’s sound can be compared to J Hus, Govana, MoStack, Not3s, Krept & Konan and Yxng Bane.
Read our chat with him below.
Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?
I’ve grown up around sound system culture – my mum’s a DJ, she used to run pirate radio stations, my uncle was a sound man (one of the founders of Coxsone Sound), and my older brother Brakeman being a well-known MC in the late 90s and early 2000s (at that time with it being hard to become a household name). This is what I was surrounded by and was my inspo very early on to become an entertainer.
Tell us about your first live performance – what was it like?
My first live performance was at Burgess Park in Peckham in 2005/2006. I was 15 and all I remember was that I was nervous but at the same time having the time of my life finally doing what I love to do.
What is London’s Dancehall scene like? Have you found it easy to build community through it?
When I entered the London dancehall scene it was a mess – no love, no unity, no support, there were certain gatekeepers but me and a few others were able to build a community in which talented individuals are now getting the right exposure that they deserve.
If you could paint a picture of your unique sound, what would it look like?
My sound is a combination of UK rap with dancehall.
Take us through your songwriting process. Is it spontaneous, or do you have rituals?
I can’t tell you my process but everything is spontaneous and off the top of my dome, and I’m a heavy believer in prayer and God guides me through the process.
What do you personally consider to be the highlight of your artistic career beyond your music (as an actor, A&R or model) thus far?
Finding fresh new talent and acting, one of my goals is to do more acting and to run a successful record label for young fresh talent.
Do you have any non-musical hobbies?
I enjoy cooking and gaming with my kids.
As an artist, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the industry. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?
Yes, the way the females are treated the way they are sexualised and almost feel like they need to use their body just to get their foot in the door, obviously this isn’t every female’s experience but it is the vast majority.
What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?
Managing to create momentum around the viral hit song ‘Tump and Kick’ during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career to give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Believe in yourself, have the right people around you, and don’t trust so easily.
Canadian singer Tate McRae‘s scintillating single ‘Greedy’ has taken the internet by storm. It was released through RCA Records on September 15, 2023, as the lead single from her upcoming second studio album Think Later. The song is one of her most commercially successful to date, earning over 260 million streams on Spotify and peaking at number 14 atop the US Billboard Hot 100.
Tate McRae described ‘Greedy’ as a “cool female empowerment song” which she loved, explaining that the song marks the first time people have seen a “feistier and more playful side” of her, being as “unexpected” as it is. First teased to her fans on TikTok on August 4, 2023, the track subsequently went viral on the platform with over 200,000 videos made across different accounts. Billboard writer, Kyle Denis, described the song as a “successful example of a concerted TikTok-focused promotional plan”, because its success was bolstered by snippets steadily teased by McRae over time, rather than having the single erupt as a random trend.
Enormously successful in its response from the public, the song peaked at number one in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the UAE. To boot, ‘Greedy’ entered the top ten in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Born in Brockton, Massachusetts from Brazilian parents, Nana Razaia aims at celebrating her South American roots through music. Taking pride in writing, producing and mixing all her songs, multifaceted artist Nana Razaia explores her dual identity through the music she creates. This results in her unique brand of melodic playfulness and fresh approach to vocal production, blending in contemporary Brazilian instrumentation with 2000’s R&B influenced vocals.
With ‘Toxicò’, her first ever Baile Funk track released on August 25th, Nana Razaia reclaims her contrasted cultural identity. Ideal for turning up the heat of any party, this highly addictive track will undoubtedly become an instantaneous club favorite.
Backed by Baile Funk’s characteristic Miami bass and Afrobeat inspired percussion, ‘Toxicò’ sees Nana Razaia jumping smoothly in between her two native languages. Described as her rowdiest work yet, the songs’ luscious beats and blazing hot lyrics allows Nana Razaia to reclaim and reinterpret her Brazilian identity.
When asked about her inspiration for the song, she explains: “Over the years, I took it upon myself to discover more about contemporary Brazilian art and culture, the stuff my parents didn’t grow up on. My world opened up and my curiosity kicked into high gear. I became hooked on baile funk. My main goal with Tóxico is to show that even though I’m thousands of miles away from the motherland, I never lost my Brazilian identity.”
