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Looking for new music to listen to? Every month, we’ll be featuring five of our favourite new releases to add to your playlist, including former Open Mic UK competitors like Lola Young, Birdy and Lucy Spraggan.
Featured Artists for October
Lola Young – Woman
Lola Young took home the Open Mic UK crown in 2015 and her latest song ‘Woman’ is an empowering and vulnerable track.
Talking about the accompanying video, Lola told DIY Mag: “I wanted to make this video because I believe women are all undeniably strong, sexy, free, brave, vulnerable, raw and powerful. And that we do not have to hide away. We do not have to remain unseen, our bodies should never be sexualised or a taboo conversation, or only seen through the male gaze. We have the ability to normalise our bodies being on show, and accept them for their differences, as it’s important to remember those differences are currently often shamed.”
Listen to ‘Woman’ on:
Follow Lola Young on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & YouTube.
Ky Lewis – Surface ft. Natalie Lindi
2019 Open Mic UK winner Natalie Lindi has collaborated with Ky Lewis for the dreamy, meditative track ‘Surface’. The perfect balm for 2020, Natalie says: “We wrote this song about helping each other out of a dark place – we hope it brings you calm when you hear it.”
Listen to ‘Surface’ on:
Follow Natalie Lindi on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & YouTube.
Lucy Spraggan – Sober
In the 2011 Lucy Spraggan was the runner-up for the competition Live and Unsigned, which was organised by Future Music, the same management behind Open Mic UK.
Now signed to Cooking Vinyl independent record label, the track ‘Sober’ is off her latest album ‘Choices’. The song is inspired by her lifestyle change and newfound sobriety. In a recent interview with Lorraine, The English singer-songwriter discussed how 15 months sober has completely changed her life: “The difference is huge but you have to live through things to realise the thing isn’t the right thing for you. One day I woke up and said “I’m not doing this anymore. This can’t be my life”.”
Listen to ‘Sober’ on:
Follow Lucy Spraggan on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & YouTube.
Birdy – Island Lights
2008 Open Mic UK winner Birdy’s latest track is a preview from her upcoming ‘Piano Sketches’ EP, which is out November 6th via Atlantic Records.
“Some days end and take whole chapters of our lives with them, this song is about one of those nights,” Birdy said in the press release. “I’ve spent the last few years recording a new album coming next year which I’m super-excited to share. I’ll be releasing the tracks stripped back over the coming months ahead of the album.”
Listen to ‘Island Lights’ on:
Follow Birdy on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & YouTube.
Gecko Club – By The Pool
Following their 2017 win, James Neilson and Jack Higgins have formed the indie band Gecko Club.
Since making their debut in 2018, Gecko Club’s unique and vibrant sound has attracted a loyal following. Their first single, energetic party anthem ‘High Flyer’ was played on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ as well as achieving over a quarter of a million streams on Spotify.
Although they only recently released the laid-back and sunny track ‘By The Pool’, it was actually recorded at River Studios in Southampton back in 2018.
Listen to ‘By The Pool’ on:
Follow Gecko Club on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & YouTube.
Want us to feature your music next? Leave a link in the comments and we’ll check it out.