We profile the best songwriters to join PRS for Music during the latest quarter. in our eyes, these are a handful of the most exciting additions to the collecting society's musical membership during the last four months...
FKA Twigs
Celebrating New Year’s Eve on a beach in Mexico may be the stuff of party legend but for enigmatic R&B artist FKA Twigs, it was an enviable reality. Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, ushered in 2014 with a live set at the Young Turks event in Tulum, performing alongside other label talents including The xx, Sampha and Koreless. According to those lucky enough to attend, the setting proved to be the perfect backdrop for her ethereal, experimental sounds.
Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, grew up in Gloucestershire before moving to London and picking up her nickname because of the way her bones crack. It’s a fitting moniker in keeping with the brittle, barely-there atmospherics of her songs.
Rumour has it Twigs was a backing dancer in BBC Sound Of 2011 winner Jessie J's video for Do It Like A Dude and also appeared in a BBC comedy sketch before throwing herself into her music. As the minimal soul sound of her initial releases testify, it’s proved to be a shrewd move, especially after partnering with Venezuelan producer Arca, a studio consultant on Kanye West’s much acclaimed Yeezus album.
At times sinister and sliding, her claustrophobic songs unwind like Bjork or the Knife at their best, climbing inside your ears and taking up permanent residence. Her self-released debut and EP 2 (on Young Turks) may have been nine months apart, but what she lacks in quantity, Twigs more than makes up for with quality. It’s a talent which has already won her a place in BBC’s Sound of 2014 shortlist and has her earmarked as an artist to keep your ears on over 2014.
Unpublished
http://f-k-a-twigs.tumblr.com
FKA Twigs
Celebrating New Year’s Eve on a beach in Mexico may be the stuff of party legend but for enigmatic R&B artist FKA Twigs, it was an enviable reality. Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, ushered in 2014 with a live set at the Young Turks event in Tulum, performing alongside other label talents including The xx, Sampha and Koreless. According to those lucky enough to attend, the setting proved to be the perfect backdrop for her ethereal, experimental sounds.
Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, grew up in Gloucestershire before moving to London and picking up her nickname because of the way her bones crack. It’s a fitting moniker in keeping with the brittle, barely-there atmospherics of her songs.
Rumour has it Twigs was a backing dancer in BBC Sound Of 2011 winner Jessie J's video for Do It Like A Dude and also appeared in a BBC comedy sketch before throwing herself into her music. As the minimal soul sound of her initial releases testify, it’s proved to be a shrewd move, especially after partnering with Venezuelan producer Arca, a studio consultant on Kanye West’s much acclaimed Yeezus album.
At times sinister and sliding, her claustrophobic songs unwind like Bjork or the Knife at their best, climbing inside your ears and taking up permanent residence. Her self-released debut and EP 2 (on Young Turks) may have been nine months apart, but what she lacks in quantity, Twigs more than makes up for with quality. It’s a talent which has already won her a place in BBC’s Sound of 2014 shortlist and has her earmarked as an artist to keep your ears on over 2014.
Unpublished
http://f-k-a-twigs.tumblr.com
Chloe Howl
If great songs and youthful exuberance are what some of our favourite pop stars are made of, then 19 year-old Chloe Howl is ready to stake her claim in music lovers’ hearts. Her songs - including Rumour, No Strings and Paper Heart - offer an antithesis to the battery farm of reality TV, showing that a little personality can go a very long way.
A blend of synths and pop hooks, No Strings swaggered up to the world of pop music and laid a sloppy kiss on its cheek while Rumour beautifully nails the confusion of being a teenager in the line; ‘I'm just trying to work out how to be like myself’.
While her songs have snatches of Lily Allen and Kate Nash, ultimately Chloe doesn’t sound like anyone but herself. It’s an attitude which saw her nominated for this year’s BRIT Critics Choice award and should see her go far when her debut album lands this summer.
Bucks Music Group Ltd.
www.chloehowl.com
If great songs and youthful exuberance are what some of our favourite pop stars are made of, then 19 year-old Chloe Howl is ready to stake her claim in music lovers’ hearts. Her songs - including Rumour, No Strings and Paper Heart - offer an antithesis to the battery farm of reality TV, showing that a little personality can go a very long way.
A blend of synths and pop hooks, No Strings swaggered up to the world of pop music and laid a sloppy kiss on its cheek while Rumour beautifully nails the confusion of being a teenager in the line; ‘I'm just trying to work out how to be like myself’.
While her songs have snatches of Lily Allen and Kate Nash, ultimately Chloe doesn’t sound like anyone but herself. It’s an attitude which saw her nominated for this year’s BRIT Critics Choice award and should see her go far when her debut album lands this summer.
Bucks Music Group Ltd.
www.chloehowl.com
Monsieur Adi
Supporting Beyonce on the recent European leg of the Mrs Carter tour is a prestigious opportunity many artists would maim for. But the only blood producer and remixer Monsieur Adi shed in landing the gig is from dancefloors with his killer way with a beat.
Monsieur Adi (real name Adam Hunt) is an electronic producer, songwriter and remixer who has already chalked up some significant notches on his musical bedpost. He can boast the likes of Bastille, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey and A*M*E as collaborators while other works include Stay Up Late with MNEK and Some Kind Of Love with Electric Youth. These releases both herald a hotly anticipated electronic pop album from Adi later this year.
Karma Songs Ltd.
http://monsieuradi.com
Supporting Beyonce on the recent European leg of the Mrs Carter tour is a prestigious opportunity many artists would maim for. But the only blood producer and remixer Monsieur Adi shed in landing the gig is from dancefloors with his killer way with a beat.
Monsieur Adi (real name Adam Hunt) is an electronic producer, songwriter and remixer who has already chalked up some significant notches on his musical bedpost. He can boast the likes of Bastille, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey and A*M*E as collaborators while other works include Stay Up Late with MNEK and Some Kind Of Love with Electric Youth. These releases both herald a hotly anticipated electronic pop album from Adi later this year.
Karma Songs Ltd.
http://monsieuradi.com
