WHAT’S NEXT – HOT UP AND COMING ARTISTS ON YOUR NEW NOW ALBUM

Weston Estate

Named in jest for an affluent neighborhood adjacent to their hometown of Cary, North Carolina, the lo-fi, alt band is an alluring anomaly. Members Srikar Nanduri (guitar), Manas Panchavati (vocals), Tanmay Joshi (vocals), Abhi Manhass (production, bass), and Marco Luka (vocals) are five best friends whose descriptions of each other range from “epicurean dumbass,” “nicest guy you’ll ever meet,” to “a Spongebob character.” All of Indian descent with the exception of Marco who is first generation Cuban-American, they’ve tapped into their cultural influences, eclectic range of personalities and individual tastes to carve out a new space entirely of their own.

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Mills

"Hollow"

When Mills first moved to Los Angeles from his hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky, he found himself going through the motions. Steeped in the rich history and sounds of nearby Nashville, the artist struggled with finding his voice in sessions.

As a sophomore in high school, he borrowed his brother’s beat machine after his sibling offered to pay for lessons, noticing how deeply ensconced the teenager was becoming in creating music. He remembers assembling songs from loops and samples and posting them online early in the morning so his classmates could hear them before school. After spending a year at Middle Tennessee State University studying commercial songwriting, he moved to L.A. for a summer on the invitation of an artist and manager he’d kept in touch with after emailing the pair years earlier.

Capturing a feeling is exactly what Mills’ dreamy, warm new EP, Train of Thoughts, does throughout its eight tight, punchy songs. They’re the type of songs that live with you long after they’re finished. Songs like “Light It” and Hollow” paint in brushstrokes both bold and precise; here and now, Mills is making music for people who love music, and people who might not know just how much they love music until hearing his tunes.

The Train of Thoughts EP achieves that lofty goal. Its peaks are high and often, juxtaposing sticky melodies with truly timeless songwriting touchstones like love, sadness, and hope. Early adopters (including Justin Bieber, who posted Mills’ music on his Instagram stories after a chance encounter in Benedict Canyon one afternoon) have called his songs heartfelt, noting how cleanly they showcase “maturity and sophistication at a level that defies his age.” His new EP "Final Thoughts" will be released on November 10th.

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New Dialogue

"Mood Swings"

“We’re so excited for everyone to hear ‘Mood Swings’! It’s a song that emphasizes that during life’s many twists and turns, it’s perfectly okay not knowing which road to take. We aimed to bring a new edge to this track while still building off that alternative and anthemic sound we’ve come to love. This song is very close to our hearts and we are so happy to share it with the world,” states New Dialogue.

A culmination of indie spirit, alternative whimsy, and pop ambition, New Dialogue speaks for the moment. The Los Angeles-based trio—Ela Kitapci [lead vocals], Michael Sevilla [guitar], and Jeff Badagliacca [bass]—assume an important responsibility by way of their chosen moniker. Together, New Dialogue navigated 2020 through countless hours of Zoom sessions, writing and file sharing to Dropbox, and emerged with several new songs to show for it. The song “Mood Swings” is a reminder that it’s okay not to walk in a straight line. They wanted to create the juxtaposition of being able to feel and desire one extreme to the next without overthinking things. In a world where we’re always trying to find meaning in everything, sometimes you gotta embrace a little bit of crazy.

New Dialogue assembled in Los Angeles in 2017. Ela Kitapci, Michael Sevilla, and Jeffrey Badagliacca recorded their debut EP Teach Me How To Feel, which has amassed over four million streams, with producer Charlie Park (lovelytheband, smallpools) in 2018. Since then, the band have maintained a consistent U.S. touring schedule supporting lovelytheband, FloraCash, Marianas Trench, Blue October, Smallpools, Run River North, and more. Their music has seen several key placements on Spotify playlists, such as New Music Friday, The New Alt, Rising Alternative, Cool Hunting, and was chosen as the cover for Today We Rock. Additionally, New Dialogue’s debut track "Fake Smile" even landed a sync on MTV's Siesta Key. The band is currently finishing writing and recording their follow up EP due in 2022, so stay tuned for more details on more details about their forthcoming EP by following the band on socials.

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Bleu

"A Crazy Life"

Bleu is an award winning songwriter, producer, composer, and recording artist. He has had songs released with Gold and Platinum selling acts such as Demi Lovato, Big Freedia, Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, and K-Pop idols TVXQ!, amongst many other celebrated artists. Once signed to Columbia Records and featured on the Platinum Spider-Man Soundtrack, Bleu has released 5 studio albums, various cult side projects, and now often works directly with some of the biggest labels, film/TV studios, and show runners in the industry. His music has been featured by networks and brands all over the world including eBay, Swarovski, Bose, and hit shows like Shameless, The Good Place, and Insecure. Bleu wrote and/or produced all the songs for Disney’s Legend Of The Neverbeast including a duet with Grammy nominated KT Tunstall. In fall 2021 Bleu will have his second single "Wolves Are at the Door" with the artist OWENN out on Island Records and featured in the hit TV show Truth Be Told, as well as new songs out with the legendary Kate Pierson of the B-52s, indie phenoms Lola Blanc, Gothic Tropic, and Mike Taylor. His cult record L.E.O. "Alpacas Orgling" will see a re-release with bonus material via SONY Japan on Sept. 8th, and he currently has music featured in an ABC promo for fall comedy series, as well as Foxtel in Australia. Last but not least, Bleu is finishing a co-score for his first HBO docu-series debuting in December, and just released his sixth solo record Six Tape.

Ben Barnes

"11:11"

Although Ben Barnes is best known as an actor, music has always been his first passion. He has appeared in movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia, Dorian Gray, and TV shows such as Netflix’s #1 series Shadow & Bone, Westworld and Marvel’s The Punisher. He has also played musicians in several movies including Jackie and Ryan and Killing Bono. He has built a fanbase over the years from these projects and, more and more, this loyal following are coming to know him for his singing and keen to hear what his own record will sound like. This is finally his moment to shine the light on his debut EP, Songs For You, lovingly crafted at his piano at home and presented unedited and straight from the heart. These are the first songs of his own that he has felt willing and ready to share with a musical style that has been inspired by ‘70s soul artists like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Michael McDonald, and Bonnie Raitt. And there is no time like the present to offer up something hopeful, joyful, and soulful.

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