Enfnts Terribles

1. Oscar and the Wolf – James

We had to wait for three years but Oscar and the Wolf finally returned with new music. Max Colombie headlined the biggest stages of the country, went on giant European tours, and released two incredibly well-received albums. After a deserved break, a third album is finally ready and the first single sounds very promising.

“James” is a melancholic pop song like only Oscar and the Wolf can make and already lets us dream of a beautiful summer thanks to the dreamy vocals that perfectly blend in with the guitar. “James” is a beautiful return for Oscar and the Wolf and marks the start of a new era.

2. Olivia Rodrigo – deja vu

Olivia Rodrigo is already one of the biggest artists of the year because no other artist managed to score such a massive hit as she did. Her heartbreaking “drivers license” was on everybody’s lips for weeks, took TikTok by storm, and broke one Spotify record after the other.

The American teen star was definitely under some serious pressure for the follow-up of her massive hit but “deja vu” is the perfect successor. The cute pop song stays in the same vibe as “drivers license” but also sounds different enough to satisfy us. This girl is going places and deserves every success!

3. BROCKHAMPTON – COUNT ON ME

Fans of BROCKHAMPTON got some good and bad news this week. One of their key members Kevin Abstract announced that there are two albums on their way in 2021 but also added that these are the last two BROCKHAMPTON albums…

While it isn’t clear if this will be a hiatus or a real end to BROCKHAMPTON, they cheered us up with the new track “COUNT ON ME”. This song just combines everything we love about their previous work and makes it even harder to realize that the end of this groundbreaking group is near.

4. Bree Runway – HOT HOT

If your musical heroes are Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, and Missy Elliot, it’s already clear that you have an amazing taste in music. The British rapper Bree Runway always had a huge admiration for these legends and reflects that in her music, which is an explosive mix between hip hop and pop.

“HOT HOT” is without any doubt the song we all needed during this time and is already a hot contender to be one of our favorite summer songs. It’s that kind of song that gives you the confidence boost on a day where everything turns against you. To say it in Paris Hilton’s words: THAT’S HOT!

5. half•alive – What’s Wrong

Long Beach-based trio Half Alive (Josh Taylor, Brett Kramer, and J Tyler Johnson) released their newest tune ‘What’s Wrong’ along with a groovy music video of them dancing in tuxedos. This song will make you feel happy and ready to tackle a new work week but the message is actually very important. ‘Time is always right to fix what’s wrong’.

The trio wants to reflect on today’s society by saying that: yes, some things are wrong, and no, it’s not too late to fix them. They have been named ‘YouTube’s Artist on the Rise’ before, and that rise is still going. Check them out, you won’t regret it.

6. Olivia Morreale – PARASOMNIA

Los Angeles-based indie-pop artist and producer Olivia Morreale will take you on a journey through a very colorful dream. The music video from ‘PARASOMNIA’, a single from her upcoming EP ‘SPACE DREAM’, is quite something. The visuals, lyrics, and characters show us the subconsciousness and hidden desires of the time we spent sleeping.

Olivia explains the artistic choice by saying “Everyone in the video and involved in the making is also an independent artist or creative. We gave them a huge amount of creative liberty”.
This song is synth-pop, jazz, and soul-inspired. It offers a timeless sound while being surprisingly refreshing.

7. Shea Diamond – Presence Of A Legend

The American singer Shea Diamond debuted in 2018 and has been described as having a rare gift when it comes to her music. With her soul-rooted music of resistance and liberation, she’s committed herself to activism and is deeply involved in the transgender rights movement. Her new song “Presence of a Legend” released on Friday, April 2, will serve as the original track for Mama Gloria, a documentary about LGBTQ+ community leaders. Luchina Fisher’s documentary will even specifically focus on transgender icon Gloria Allen.

Listening to her song, the choir and powerful vocals and belts from Diamond makes you feel invigorated. She’s a powerhouse, and let’s just say we instantly understand why Sam Smith, Demi Lovato, and U.S. President Joe Biden are all fans of her music.

8. Kaisha – Predicament

Malaysian-born songwriter Kaisha is based in London and has spent the last few years immersing herself in the local underground scenes. In 2020 she released her debut EP ‘Something Else’, and now she’s back with her soulful song “Predicament”.

The catchy song talks about helping a loved one who is mentally suffering in silence but doesn’t want to reach out for help. Together with the alluring harmonies and driving R&B groove, produced by James Berkeley of Yakul, the song pulls you in immediately. And while the sound is inspired by The Internet, VanJess, and Mahalia, Kaisha puts her own spin on it by fusing elements of neo-soul and pop. “Predicament” tells an important story, and it does it with a catchy tune.

9. Crystal Murray – CREEPS

The Parisian musician Crystal Murray is only 20 years old, but she’s been making waves since her debut single “After Ten” in 2018 when it topped Spotify’s talent playlists. It established her as a promising artist, and when her debut EP ‘I Was Wrong’ dropped in June 2020, it only cemented she was a rising star.

As part of a series of live sessions in apartments and hotels in Paris, she now released a new single. Her first single of the Hotel Room Drama series was Good Girl Gone Bad feat. Dian. Now she’s back with her latest single, “Creeps” featuring London rapper Elheist. Murray’s jazzy and breathy vocals blend seamlessly together with Elheist’s rap and create a song worthy of being on your playlists.

10. Sweats – pimped up car

In for a dance to forget all the misery? We highly consider you the music by Sweats. The Belgian project makes exciting electro-pop with some fun punk and techno influences, which makes their sound very unique and appealing.

We immediately fell for the abstract song structure of “pimped up car”, where the futuristic and destructive sounds are a great addition to the spoken word lines. We already ask every DJ that will appear at the parties in a post-covid life to put this track in their playlist.

Pictures by Marie Wynants.

Co-written by Mira Van Lierop & Jade Dierckx