This week I thought I would introduce you to one of my favorite artists who’s style is slightly different that those I have spoken about prior. Lewis Capaldi is Scottish singer who debuted on the charts in early 2019. His genre is defined as a blend of folk rock and pop, which makes for some of the most beautiful music that I have heard.

Fig.1. Lewis Capaldi,  Luxembourg

I found out about Lewis Capaldi when I was in the car with my mom. We were listening to the radio and his single “Someone You Loved ” came on and we were instantly hooked. It is the type of song you can belt out and let all your emotions out because of the heartfelt and pain filled lyrics. His voice is distinct because it is raspy and rough but at the same time it is sweet and relaxing.

The BBC even called him “The man with the biggest sad song of the year” and they are certainly not wrong. His song reached number one on the billboard 100 and the song is still gaining popularity every day. Although “Someone You Loved” is his biggest hit, my favorite song by him is “Lost On You”. I highly recommend that you check that song out as well!

What I find to be my favorite thing about him is the fact that he sounds nearly exactly the same in his recorded songs and live performances. He performed at The Today Show back in July and it was incredible how amazing he sounded. There are very few artists you can truly say sound so similar live and Lewis Capaldi is definitely one.

Lewis Capaldi also has the personality of an entertainer. Recently, someone found his tinder page and released it to the internet. In response to this, Capaldi said “This is my only lifeline I have left before I am resigned to a lifetime of  living with my mother.” According to NME, he even gave out free tickets to those who matched with him. For some having their tinder released would be embarrassing but he decided to make it into a joke and even surprise some fans!

Lewis Capaldi has the personality and talent to really grow into a worldwide artist. His has such meaning in his music that so many artist lack in today’s music. So the next time you need a good cry, listen to Lewis Capaldi.

Fig.2. Lewis singer, Euphoriazine

If you have listened to the radio anytime in the last 3 months then surely you have heard the song Truth Hurts. With its catchy lyrics and upbeat tempo it was destined to become a pop hit but who is the woman behind it?

Fig.1.  CNBC, Lizzo

Her name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson but, she goes by Lizzo. She is already an icon for this generation because of her style and authenticity. Lizzo hails from Detroit, Michigan but grew up mostly in Texas. She began to make music and perform when she was in her twenties and it took a while to take off. In fact. Truth Hurts was released 2 years before it gained global popularity! This obviously was frustrating for Lizzo as she told ELLE magazine about how she nearly gave up as she felt as if she would never be successful. However, she was clearly wrong (and we are so grateful she was) as this summer she topped the billboard charts in many countries.

Lizzo is role model for so many girls around the world because of her advocation for body positivity and self esteem. However, she has talked about the struggle of being known as a body positive influencer. According to People Magazine, the singer explained how she dislikes being called “brave” because that implies she should not feel confident in her own body. Lizzo shows off her body because she knows she is beautiful and doesn’t think she is brave by doing so. In her songs you will often find lyrics where she will call herself “beautiful” or “cute” and honestly  that is something we should all do more often. Her carefree attitude is clearly displayed in all her music and her videos.

Something pretty unique about Lizzo is her ability to play the flute. Many artists can play the guitar or piano but the flute? It is certainly different! Many would assume that the flute and pop music would not mix too well but apparently for Lizzo it does. She even plays the flute in concert which I think is pretty impressive and definitely makes her stand out in may mind.

It may have taken close to a decade but Lizzo is now a household name. She is a clear example of where hard work, dedication, and perseverance can get you. Lizzo is undeniably and unapologetically herself and that’s what everyone loves about her.

Fig.2. People, Lizzo performs

Rap is an ever evolving genre of music. If you compare today’s rap to that from the early day’s of rap, there is quite a drastic difference. In general the flow and rhythm have changed but most noticeably the production style has changed. Nowadays, artists tend to utilize more digital sounding effects and even autotune to create a more enjoyable effect. One artist who goes for this new style of rap in a very successful way is Lil Tjay. When you listen to his music you can hear the hints of autotune in his voice. It’s not because his voice is not good enough alone but more so because it is a growing new rap style.

Fig.1. XXLmag, Lil Tjay 

Lil Tjay hails from the South Bronx in New York and his real name is Tione Dalyan Merritt. At only 18 years old, Tjay has already accomplished a great deal. His collaboration with Polo G, Pop Out, peaked at number 11 on the charts and is widely known among rap fans. This feature helped to broaden his fan base to the greater public and really get his name out there. Most recently Lil Tjay released the song LANESWITCH which is about people changing as he grows into a bigger artist and his life growing up. Lil Tjay is known for the truth that can be found in his lyrics. His songs may seem surface level with modern beats and rhythm but when you read into the lyrics you find he often talks about his past. Lil Tjay had a tough time growing up and ended up getting into some trouble for  things such as fighting and robbing. According to wikipedia, Tjay spent a year in a detention center as a result of the crimes. In countless interviews, he now talks about how that experience has changed him into someone new and how he is living a new life. He has taken his negative situation and turned it into something others can also learn from and/or relate to, which is why people find Lil Tjay to be so authentic.

Based on recent social media posts, Lil Tjay has an album coming our way fairly soon. However, as of now, Lil Tjay is continuing to release music rather frequently as he travels the country and plays shows for thousands of people per night. Not too bad for only being 18 years old!

Fig.2. Youtube, Laneswitch

This week I’m going to introduce one more boyband but this group is slightly different than the previous as they sing in a different language, Spanish! Their name is CNCO which is play on the number five in Spanish.

Fig.1. CNCO Twitter, CNCO on twitter

CNCO have already struck major success in Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain, but now they are rapidly gaining an audience here in the U.S.. They have won countless awards such as a Teen Choice Award, Billboard Latin Music Award and a People’s Choice Award. The group is comprised of 5 members each from a different country. Joel Pimentel is Mexican-American, Christopher Velez Munoz is Ecuadorian, Zabdiel Dejesus is Puerto Rican, Richard Camacho is Dominican-American and Erick Brian Colon is Cuban. The pop sensation was formed on a show called La Banda which was a competition where over 10,000 teenage boys auditioned to be in a boyband managed by Ricky Martin. After winning the competition in 2016 their first hit Reggaeton Lento was released and was an instant hit. The song went #1 on 5 charts and has amassed over a billion views.

CNCO has now toured the world with their hit singles and their difficult yet entertaining choreography that effortlessly captures audiences attention. In 2016, CNCO collaborated with Little Mix, a British girl group, on their first Spanglish track. It was a remix of Regaetton Lento and this collaboration allowed them to be introduced to other areas of the world which has helped their success. Spanglish is the mixture of the English and Spanish languages. As a group, they are further exploring Spanglish in their singles De Cero and Pretend. The transition between language is done flawlessly and let me say it makes for an amazing song. Although I am someone who is not fluent in Spanish, I think their music is incredible and anyone who listens will surely agree. They give people all over the world an opportunity to be exposed to and appreciate the incredible Latin culture. Also, many fans have said that since they began to listen to CNCO they started to learn Spanish with the help of their music. This is just one example of the global effect CNCO are having just 3 years into their career.

Their newest EP called Que Quienes Somos set to drop October 11 but the boys just released a new single Ya Tu Sabes (You Already Know) which is already a hit. So what are you waiting for? Go and listen! You won’t regret it.

Fig.2. EW, CNCO EP