Tareq. Remember his name it’s going to be all over the cosmos. A true musical genius. His latest album “Prints” was released on 18th July 2020 and it showcases Tareq’s unique musical gifts, sounds and production. A masterpiece of harmonies, orchestral notes, collaborations and birdsong. All conceived in the mind of an artist who has produced the most mature, emotional, raw and honest album in his career.
In this podcast we talk about producing an album from demos to the finished article in lockdown and how artists such as Tareq have had to adapt to this new reality and have come out the other side by producing music that is genuinely thrilling and hooks it’s audience with it’s beats and bass lines.
We get to hear the title single ‘Upside Down’ and his last single ‘One’ ~ remixed by Silverhook. Tareq talks about how the ideas for this song and others that have been built on the foundation of lyrics that are metaphors for the human condition. Love, life, bittersweet optimism and upbeat instrumentals combine to produce beautifully crafted songs.
Tareq’s new single ‘Upside Down’ from the album ‘Prints’ available on all streaming platforms. Artwork by @milky_crafts
I was lucky enough to listen to the album before general release and I quickly became obsessed with all the tracks. From the opening ‘Vertigo’s Effect’ which is a true cinematic soundtrack and feels like the marriage of ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Escape From New York’ through to his collaborations with artists such as Sarah P on Cross Bones, Natasha Bofiliou on ‘Lift Me Up’ and Sam Rag Da on ‘Five More Minutes’ this is an artist at the top of his game and producing music that is equal parts lightness and darkness.
Tareq ~ Photograph by @jannis_tomic
The album strives for a balance between sadness and happiness in each track. There are many tracks that are my favourite on this album. One especially is ‘OK’ with lines such as ‘How could I forget your face when you have so many?’ The craft of songwriting is alive and well in this digital age.
Tareq ~ Photograph by @georgeraniosphotography
Four tracks on the album were written during lockdown and Tareq produced all of it within a month. The result is a an album that you will be playing over and over again. Hypnotic songs like ‘Road To Somewhere’ and ‘No Time Land’ and will have permeated your consciousness and you’ll need to hear to get another fix of those vibrant melodies and haunting lyrics.
Tareq’s – last single ‘One’ ~ Silverhook Remix
Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Tareq. Also available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.
Lady Nade is a singer-songstress par excellence. With a smooth velveteen voice she creates audio magic. Pouring heart and soul into her lyrics, ever the perfectionist she has been known to take weeks to craft the perfect song. Lady Nade feels a responsibility to be a voice to those who’ve experienced lifes battles and have come out the other side.
‘Heart Beats Strong’ by Lady Nade
In this podcast we talk about using her voice to send a message to the audience to pay attention and respect the artist and their craft. You would never speak through a movie or the theatre then why do some ticket paying ‘fans’ feel the urge to talk over the live music experience and ruin it for those who are there to listen to these beautifully crafted songs?
Lady Nade performs an exclusive unreleased performance of her song ‘Josette’ which is being played acoustically for this podcast. It forms part of three albums that Lady Nade is working on during these pandemic times. Yes you read that right three albums one of which is an EP another with Ivor Novello songwriter. It seems that Lady Nade is thriving in these strangest of times.
Lady Nade photograph by Josette Bush
Lady Nade gives thanks to the essential work of The Musicians Union which have been supporting artists through these Covid-19 times and feeding body and soul so that the music we love can still be made. On Saturday 18th July 2020 Lady Nade will be giving back by performing in Sheffield for The Musicians Union – Summer Of Live Online Festival.
Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Lady Nade. Also available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.
Audriix is a musical whirlwind, an extrordinary combination of raw talent honed to perfection to produce pop music with an edge and hypnotic melodies. Her anthem is her song ‘Stampede’ which has 73,580 plays on Spotify alone. The song comes from her 2019 album release Status Change which was produced in LA.
In this podcast we talk about her journey from the age of three playing it seems every known instrument to mankind and mastering piano, viola, guitar and drums alongside training that stunning voice giving her the foundation to sing those epic choruses. As Audriix says her self when she sings in front of audiences who may not know her music by the end of her songs she will have hooked you in so that you’ll be able to sing along to her songs. Audriix performs two of her songs acoustically in this podcast ‘Stampede’ and ‘Ace of Spades’.
In this podcast we speak about how it’s been nearly a year since we met when Audriix opened for the pop duo sisters Aly & AJ on their European tour. And what an amazing journey she’s been on since then, releasing her album and a whole lot of instrumental and acoustic singles from their notably ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Bandit’.
We talk about her love for musical theatre of the drama and powerful songs from musicals such as ‘Phantom of The Opera’ and ‘Wicked’ through to the Disney films ‘Frozen’ and ‘Frozen 2’ and how the lyrics and songs have inspired her to produce monumental pieces of music to capture audience hearts and minds.
We also talk about the #metoo movement and what you have to do to be taken seriously as a female artist within the industry. And how to inspire the generations that are growing up now and showing them a positive and fiercely independent role model that they can look up to. For all the latest news about Audriix go follow her website Audriix.com
Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Audriix. Also available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.
Ned Roberts lives and breathes music especially folk music, he’s a phenomenal lyricist and his music makes you transcend this world and travel into a world of acoustic harmonies layered with warmth and soul.
In this podcast Ned and I talk about how he crafts his songs, what inspires him to make to create the music he plays, launching an album in these pandemic times and how he is inspired from the great folk artists of the 60’s and 70’s to produce music that is uniquely his.
With Ned Roberts at The Lexington in 2018
Ned performs two songs acoustically on the podcast ‘The Songbird’ from his latest album ‘Dream Sweetheart’ and ‘Sketch’ from his first self titled album ‘Ned Roberts’
‘The Songbird’ by Ned Roberts. I love this song so much it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it and to have Ned play this live on the podcast was totally amazing.
One of the key influences in Ned’s journey in music has to be friend and producer Luther Russell who brought Ned over to Los Angeles to record his first two albums. Having that support was instrumental in shaping Ned’s music. Bob Dylan has also had a major impact in shaping Ned’s music and its important to recognise how on a cellular level we absorb the way certain artists and albums have lived their music and their lives through the songs they have brought to life.
We talk about what makes a song special and how it can resonate with audiences. And his love for performing live and the strange world that artists find themselves in by performing to a virtual audience. Ned’s first livestream is happening on 2nd July 2020 on Facebook at 8.30pm GMT
For Ned Roberts the future is an undiscovered country but one which he is happy to explore.
Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Ned Roberts. Also available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.
Once in a while, a voice stops you dead in your tracks. The voice goes deep into your musical should and stops you cold. You look around to see if you have left this reality or have gone into another realm. I heard Eric Burton’s voice coupled with Adrian Quesada’s guitar on ‘Colors’ last year on Spotify and I must have played that track multiple, multiple times. It brought me immense pleasure and happiness to be moved by this deep, rich totally immersive sound. It was as if I had discovered an unknown treasure from the seventies one that had escaped the notice of all the music that has since passed.
There is an urgency in Eric’s voice a message that needs to be delivered to your heart bypassing your mind. It needs to open up that part of you that has become worn down by the relentless grey that is modern existence.
On 7th February 2020 at Islington Assembly Hall, London the Black Pumas continued with their Black Moon Rising tour they came and performed their music onto an audience who had travelled across the globe to hear them play. As far as Venezuela to Spain fans had travelled to experience in person the music of this incredible band.
From the first opening chords of ‘Old Man’ the Black Pumas gripped the audience and a wave of positivity, warmth and electricity flowing through the concert venue which went through each and every fan. We knew this was special that this was a night to say afterwards that we had seen the Black Pumas live. Lets not forget that the Black Pumas are a duo and the other half of that duo is Adrian Quesada and without his guitar and the almighty power he wields with that instrument there would not be those delicious hooks and riffs to thrill and excite your senses.
Hearing the album the self titled ‘Black Pumas’ you are transported to a world full of funkadelic soul, pulsing electronic heartbeats of bass with hypnotic beats. When you hear this music live in concert the effect is magnified a thousand fold sending shivers down your spine. Your feet can’t help but move along to the rhythms of the music.
The whole atmosphere at the audience was electric, sending positive energy back to the band by singing the words to each and every song. And then Eric stepped it up another level by singing ‘Fire’ into the crowd itself. Surrounded by fans the whole audience went estactic.
What a show, a performance from the band that easily rates as being in the top ten live experiences I’ve been to. Well worth the wait of all these past months to a glimpse of the mercurial talents of these exceptional musicians. It’s no wondered Black Pumas were nominated for a Grammy this year for Best New Artist.
Of course it didn’t as the band came back to an uproarious encore when Eric asked the crowd if they wanted to hear another song? The crowd erupted with a almighty ‘YESSSSSS’ and so Eric sang an acoustic version of the Beatles classic ‘Eleanor Rigby’.
‘Eleanor Rigby’ perfomed by Black Pumas.
Then this evening of supreme came to an end. We had witnessed music in it’s purest form connecting us not only with the artists but with each of us who were in the venue.
As if the night couldn’t get any better Eric then launched into a cover of Tracey Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’ a sublime mix of soulful vocals and words to connect with the audiences souls.
‘Fast Car’ performed live by Eric Burton from Black Pumas at Islington Assembly Hall, London on 7th February 2020. Video by Renato Ramone.
What next for the Black Pumas? They are currently on a path that is leading them to be interstellar. For now I can say that I was there at ground zero seeing them lift off on career that will take them into the stars.
When angels visit us, we do not hear the rustle of wings, nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts. It was billed as the concert to end all Christmas concerts, something for the history books, a point in time forever etched onto the minds of those who were there.
When Sarah Darling stepped onto the Union Chapel stage on 2nd December 2019 no one could have predicted the joy and happiness that erupted and burst through the winter gloom that had started to grip the capital city.
Opening the evenings entertainment with ‘Where Cowboys Ride’ this ode to the frontiersmen of the west which has over 3 million plays on Spotify exemplified all the best of Sarah’s vocal talents. Backed by her band of brothers the song carried you away to those open skies where horses run and prairie landscapes.
England and more specifically London has been the second home for the Iowan native who has spent so much time touring these isles that when she returns to Nashville friends believe she has an English accent. You know that Sarah has turned native when she sings about the weather, a national obsession for anyone who lives on this emerald isle.
Sarah’s songs such as ‘Blue Sky’ and ‘London Fog’ dramatically conjure up all those feelings associated by being in wide open spaces with azure blue skies and the silvery dusky fog that still settles in London mornings.
Having acted as her own warm up act Sarah introduced Jamie Lawson a phenomenal singer songwriter who was the first artist to signed up to Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records. Singing ‘I wasn’t expecting That’ and ‘Hallelujah’ he blew away the crowd with his passion and intensity of delivery to produce a stunning performance.
Now this evening was beginning to look like we had been transported a million miles away to the Grand Ole Opry. Where rising stars of country perform to showcase their unique contribution to the pantheon of country legends that had stepped on stage before them.
The answer to that came in shape of new songs that Sarah had been working on in Los Angeles and the Campfire Sessions. ‘Hungover’, ‘Waves’ ‘Drive away with You’ and ‘Leave the Pieces’
After an intermission Sarah came back onstage in a new sparkly black dress which shimmered in the lights. This was not the only thing that sparkled as Sarah introduced the sister duo Ward Thomas onto the stage to sing three songs ‘Landslide’, ‘River’ and her new single also featuring Ward Thomas ‘Divide’.
Ward Thomas were simply divine and the harmonies that they produced with Sarah on these songs weer breathtaking. It was my first time hearing and seeing Ward Thomas perform and I am forever grateful to Sarah for this gift. Truly the evening was one musical gift after another especially with the three guest star artists that had performed this night.
Then as this was a Christmas concert Sarah sang such Christmas hits as ‘Santa Baby’, ‘Have yourself a Merry little Christmas’, ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Silent Night’. Now when Sarah sang this last song she did so unplugged and acoustically. What better venue to sing ‘Silent Night’ then at Union Chapel. The audience were silent, all were mesmerised by the pure sound coming from the angel praising the birth of Christ.
Sarah left the stage to rapturous applause from the audience. What an extraordinary night had been enjoyed by all who were lucky enough to attend. Would there be anything else left for Sarah to showcase?
The answer came when Sarah appeared on stage again and delivered two more songs ‘Monmatre’ and Hailey’s Comet’. ‘Monmatre’ is Sarah’s love song to the city of love, Paris. It exquisitely captures the essence and magic of that eternal beacon of romance.
What a way to end the nights performance than with this song. A once in a lifetime natural phenomenon that lights up the universe with its fiery approach emblazoned across the night sky.
Sarah lit up the sky’s tonight with her whole soul. A messenger from the Heavens, a traveller from Nashville, tonight heralded the return of the native. The musician who belongs to two cities but who had captured the heart of London this night and every night.
A little bit of magic happened last night when Lauren Jenkins stepped on stage last night (September 18th 2019) at the re-branded ‘The Grace’ venue. The last date of her latest European tour Lauren showcased her stunning vocals and joie de vivre to an audience hungry to see their musical hero. In a sold out venue the magic began to sparkle in front of people’s eyes.
Lauren Jenkins opened her act with ‘Twenty Years from Now’ a song originally sung by her friend Kylie Rae Harris who tragically died in an automobile accident in New Mexico while Lauren was on tour. The two had met while in Barbados and had become fast friends (incidentally this is also where Lauren met her manager Whitney Pastorek).
Lauren told the audience how she had found it difficult to grieve for her friend while touring abroad but was grateful for the support of her fans across Europe who had supported her by coming out to her gigs. At the end of the song tears flowed from Lauren as she also sung ‘You are my Sunshine’ in dedication to Kylie. The audience joined Lauren in singing this song in remembrance of her lost friend.
Lauren then brought her album ‘No Saint’ to life in front of an audience who matched her word for word on songs from ‘Maker’s Mark and You’, ‘Cadillac’, and ‘All Good Things’.
Lauren told of how all that glitters isn’t gold in the world of country music artists. Having moved from New York to Nashville. Lauren had played at many, many gigs across the states where being the opening act meant using Porterloos as a dressing room and trying to explain to her family that she may be a country artist but that didn’t mean she was rolling in dollars. At least not yet.
Give Up The Ghost by Lauren Jenkins
Lauren also told the back story of how she had difficulties with an ex-boyfriend who had cheated on her and how that had inspired her to write the song ‘My Bar’ Working behind the bar she had thrown out the ex when he had brought the other women to the bar she was working in.
Lauren freely admits that she is herself ‘No Saint’ and is only doing the best that she can on a daily basis. Sometimes she’s winning sometime she losing.
With the night coming to an end Lauren opened out to the audience as to what songs they wanted her to sing? The requests came thick and fast. Lauren sang ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac and Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’ This was a consummate performance of the song by Lauren bringing a real cheer from the audience. A re-imagined take on the classic with Lauren’s smoky voice replacing Palmer’s distinctive timbre.
Then Laura produced something extra special two new songs ‘American Spirits’ and ‘It Ain’t Love Any More’. Both were phenomenal and I can see these being added to a future album and definitely on Lauren’s next tour.
Lauren ended the evening with ‘Running out of Road’ one of the breakout hits of her album. Audience participation at its maximum and the effect was electric. ‘All Good Things’ have to come to an end and Lauren’s journey through Europe did just that but with a celebration by the artist of her songs and the life she has lived so far.
Lauren Jenkins gave the performance of her lifetime at parts, raw, emotional, in others full of bravado and soaring vocals. A true magician who cast a spell over this audience and gained fans old and new.
After the performance Lauren was warm, enthusiastic and genuine in her appreciation of the fans who had come to see her sing. I had waited 7 months to see Lauren sing and she didn’t disappoint. Looking forward to the seeing Lauren when she returns to the UK and seeing a true magician in action.
Lifting Lauren Jenkins off the floor at The Grace, London, 18th September 2019 Photograph: Whitney Pastorek‘No Saint’ signed album by Laura Jenkins. I ordered this vinyl as it was the only way to hear Lauren’s voice old school and analog.
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