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

Calum Scott ft. Leona Lewis

“You Are The Reason”

Breakout U.K. artist, singer and songwriter Calum Scott’s poignant version of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” has become a global sensation. The song was the best-selling U.K. single of 2016 by a British solo artist and was nominated for a Brit Award for Best Single. The single quickly charted in over 34 countries on Spotify, peaking at No. 1 on the Viral chart in six countries, including the U.S. The track is approaching 500 million streams worldwide and cumulative views of Scott’s “Dancing On My Own” videos have surpassed 200 million. The song has also charted at No. 1 on iTunes in 11 countries and is certified Platinum in four countries. In the U.K., it hit #2 on the Official Singles Sales chart, was the most-downloaded song of the summer and ranks as one of the most-played songs of 2016 at U.K. radio and continues to climb in the U.S. In the whirlwind surrounding “Dancing On My Own,” Scott performed on shows like, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America and more and later set out on his first headlining tour of the US—all while writing and recording songs for Only Human. The lead single to Only Human, “You Are the Reason” embodies Scott’s singular ability to transform pain into beauty. Throughout Only Human, Scott’s elegantly sculpted pop centers on his soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics. With his delicate storytelling, he examines unrequited longing on tracks like the aching piano ballad “Hotel Room.” In choosing the title for his debut, Scott looked to the lessons learned in his first songwriting experience. “A lot of these songs are me arguing with myself about how I feel, or getting agitated because there’s no way of controlling my emotions,” he points out. “As much as it was like therapy for me to work through that in my writing, I want it to be helpful for other people too,” Scott continues. “To me Only Human means being okay with how you feel, and getting rid of all that shame. My hope is that these songs encourage people to embrace who they are, so that there’s a little less fear in the world and a lot more love.”

Mayassa Karaa

“Broken Lines”

With her captivating multi-octave voice and persuasive cross-cultural message, vocalist and songwriter MAYSSA KARAA defines a new era of musical inclusion. Her songs tell of a journey connecting her origins in the ancient land of Lebanon to her adopted home of Los Angeles, California. Cinema audiences might identify the classically-trained singer’s voice from the hit film American Hustle, where her Arabic version of the Sixties classic “White Rabbit” was a standout track on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack album; MAYSSA is at currently putting the finishing touches on her full-length English solo debut. The songs range from piano based simplicity to epic electronic orchestration with a unique blend of American pop and middle eastern influences. With music as her passport, she says that it was never an intention to come to the U.S. and live inside of a bubble. “I came here to expand, to tell others about my culture and learn about theirs. I was born and raised in Lebanon, but I am very much an American too. I’m like you.”

Arlissa ft. Jonas Blue

“Hearts Ain't Gonna Lie”

On singer-songwriter Arlissa’s breakthrough track “Hearts Ain’t Gonna Lie,” she coos about the reality of truth always peeking through in life and love. It’s a mantra that the 25-year-old German-born, south London-bred siren has maintained throughout the entirety of her journey in music. As Arlissa enters the next phase of her career—armed with a dancey reboot of her viral hit thanks to Jonas Blue—she continues to promote honest music on her own terms. She piqued on the UK Pop radar, making the BBC’s Sound Of 2013 poll alongside acts like Laura Mvula, Haim, AlunaGeorge, Savages, The Weeknd, and CHVRCHES with no formal album or single release. Arlissa then continued on a DIY mission, releasing music via the internet and rebuilding her buzz. She took to the Internet to release original songs,

along with a YouTube cover as a litmus test. She dropped the acoustic version of “Hearts Ain’t Gonna Lie,” which yielded over a million views in less than one week. It wasn’t long before a true fan following was formed. One admirer in particular was UK house DJ Jonas Blue, who elevated “Hearts Ain’t Gonna Lie” with his own spin after hearing it online. While Arlissa will continue dropping loosie tracks in anticipation of her debut album, she upholds her vow to make her music by her rules and having fun along the way.

Ruel 

“Don't Tell Me” 

Ruel’s debut single “Don’t Tell Me” is a soulful, stately ballad about “not letting other people tell you how to feel because no one else knows you better than you,” as Ruel explains it. The single has garnered millions of streams and has launched the London-born, Sydney-raised singer and songwriter as one of the most exciting new recording artists to emerge. Things had begun to spark for Ruel a few months before he released “Don’t Tell Me,” which was produced by his mentor M-Phazes (Eminem, Amy Shark, Logic). Ruel’s official debut was a feature on the M-Phazes’ track “Golden Years.” Ruel performed on Australian radio station Triple J’s “Like A Version,” where he sang a stripped-down version of “Golden Years” and a cover of Jack Garratt’s “Weathered.” The jaw-dropping performance showcased Ruel’s dazzling voice, which can slide effortlessly from gritty tenor to airy falsetto on a dime, and the video quickly became one of the most-viewed “Like A Version” performances of the year after receiving over half a million plays in just 48 hours. After Ruel’s “Like A Version” episode, he released “Don’t Tell Me” and was invited to write with Julia Stone, which led to him supporting Angus & Julia Stone on their sold-out Australian tour. In October, Elton John, who was on tour in Australia, requested a meeting and an interview with Ruel for his Rocket Hour show on Beats 1, telling him: “You have the most amazing voice that I’ve ever heard from a male singer at 14 years of age and it’s quite incredible.” Not long after, Ruel was invited to support his future RCA Records label mate, Khalid, on his Australia/New Zealand tour, performing to more than 5,000 people a night. “Don’t Tell Me” was featured in Beats by Dre’s #AboveTheNoise film (starring Cara Delevingne, Neymar Jr, Serena Williams, and others), which sent the track’s streaming numbers soaring once again. “I think ‘Don’t Tell Me’ fits the film perfectly, because it’s about rising above the noise, rising above people who are putting you down, which is exactly what the song is about,” Ruel says.

Walkney

“Lucia Rose”

Walkney is the latest project of singer-songwriter Derek (Walkney) Mrdjenovich from Altoona, Pennsylvania. Walkney kicked off in 2016 with a community-oriented hometown headliner, which sold over a thousand tickets. Since then, Walkney has performed on various tours in the United States & Canada, been featured on MTV.com, and has most recently appeared as a contestant on Season 1 of American Idol on ABC. A truly original artist, Walkney creates using all colors of the sonic spectrum. With poignant lyrics and smooth rhythms, Walkney blends blues & jazz with a rock attitude, which makes for some killer pop songs. At the age of 23, Walkney is no stranger to the business. Since 2010, Walkney has been independently booking shows and tours for both Walkney and his previous project, The Big Time. Over the years, Walkney has cultivated a strong social media presence, with a combined total following of 80,000 across all platforms. Walkney has also worked with notable producers & songwriters some of which include; ZK Productions (Whitney Houston, Jamie Foxx), Paul Leavitt (All Time Low), The Gomez Brothers (The Summer Set, Call Me Karizma) Derek Sanders (Mayday Parade.) In recent months Walkney has landed an airfare sponsorship as part of the Spirit Airlines “Music 4 Miles” program, released two new singles, and is currently recording his debut release.