Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music

Love at First Listen with SACHA

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SACHA Artist Interview

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Emerging Canadian country artist SACHA may be a one-name wonder, but she’s far from a one-hit wonder. If she’s not already dominating your playlist, you’re guaranteed to fall in love at first listen with her fabulous and fierce sound, which has already earned her the titles of iHeartRadio Future Star, Spotify RADAR Canada Artist, and Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist of the Month. Possibly best of all, she’s also already landed a viral TikTok hit, “What the Truck,” with fellow Canuck country rockers The Reklaws, which became the most-streamed Canadian country song during a one-week period and the fastest-ever Canadian country song to go gold in the streaming era.

In my new interview with this rapidly rising star, see what SACHA had to say about new music, new milestones, and her future plans, including an upcoming tour with Maddie & Tae.

Let’s talk about your newly released sophomore EP, ‘We Did.’ What does that title represent to you?

‘We Did’ brings back the feeling of the initial stages of falling in love and all the emotions involved with that. The EP itself goes into a few different thematic scenes from falling in love, to developing self-confidence, to thinking ‘sorry, I’m not so sorry’ on “I Wanted Wine,” and then telling yourself, ‘Life is short, so what the truck.’ It’s a roller coaster of things, but it also opens the door for me to get a little bit more vulnerable and to share some different aspects of my story.

Was it hard to pick a ‘Top 4’ for the final tracklist?

This was an interesting process and kind of a last-minute process as well. I have been writing a lot, but these songs actually ended up on the table through my management. Knowing me so well, they were able to matchmake me with these songs that definitely resonate the most with who I am and tell my story the best. I flew to Nashville one day and I flew out the next, and I got these songs done, and the EP came out a couple months later.

This EP is the follow-up to your last project ‘The Best Thing,’ which was released right at the start of the pandemic. How would you say your sound and songwriting style have evolved over the past two years?

My sound is continually evolving. From the last EP to this EP, I’m glad that we got to tap into a little bit more of the country elements sonically. I love the title track of this EP, “We Did,” because it reminds me of Taylor Swift’s nostalgic kind of feel and I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan. So, when I first heard that song I was like, ‘This is making me feel everything I felt when I heard “Love Story.”’ And that’s what I’m hoping people will feel when they hear “We Did.”

How did your collaboration with The Reklaws come to life?

That was a TikTok thing! They put up a TikTok inviting their fans and audience to come and join on this song and I think it was already almost at one million views when I was just like, ‘You know what, what the truck? Let me just do a TikTok!’ I had no idea that it would lead to any of this. I was just trying to get more active on TikTok and I love The Reklaws, then I get a DM from Jenna saying, ‘Hey, we love what you did and we want you to be part of the song.’ I’m like, ‘Is this a joke?’ And she’s like, ‘lol no, it’s not a joke.’ Before you know it, I’m in a studio, then I’m shooting the music video, then I’m at Calgary Stampede and Budweiser Stage and the CCMAs, then I got a gold plaque for having the fastest streaming country song in Canadian history. It was crazy!

With all your success to date, you’ve proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Have you had one standout “pinch me” moment amidst all the mayhem, and how do you continue dreaming big and setting new goals for yourself?

Seeing yourself on a Spotify billboard is incredible and it’s literally everything that I’ve ever dreamed of and more. Another thing that was huge was being part of CMT’s Next Women of Country program. That was a big-time “pinch me” moment because I’ve been admiring how they champion women in country music for so long, so to find myself among that class has just been a huge door opener. There’s a lot of stuff that’s happened over that period of time where I don’t think it’s really fully settled in yet. Looking ahead, there are still things that I have yet to accomplish like going on tour with Taylor Swift, having number one at radio, and maybe winning a few awards.

You’re also being called one of country music’s fastest rising stars. How does that make you feel, and is there one thing you wish you knew at the start of this process that you can pass along to other up-and-comers?

It’s funny because I’ve been in this game for a long time. I grew up in a musical household and my parents were in a band, so music was 100,000% ever present. Although it seems like I’m fast rising, I had many opportunities to give up or doubt myself, but I just kept going. I continued to believe and just stay true to my conviction and this call that I have with my love for music. So, being called a fastest rising star is an honour, but make no mistake — it hasn’t happened overnight. For anybody that has a dream or is like, ‘This isn’t happening fast enough,’ just give it time. Timing is everything and it could be a while, but just believe anything is possible.

As one of CMT’s Next Women of Country 2021 Class members, you’ll be heading out on the road with Maddie & Tae later this year. What can fans expect from your live show?

People can just expect to have a good time, have fun, and get to know me more. I’m looking forward to performing “We Did” because I love that whole vibe and “If I Wanted Wine” brings the entertainer out of me.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, New Music Friday

Love at First Listen with Alyssa Reid

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Alyssa Reid Interview

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Tell all your friends: #ALYSSAREID2022 is in full force. The Toronto-based singer-songwriter you know and love from pop hits like “Alone Again” and “Satisfaction Guaranteed” — and the “face” behind the faceless music project ASHS — has reclaimed her name and released a haunting new single, “Roses,” to kick off a year packed with new music, performances, and surprises ahead.

To commemorate the release, Alyssa is hosting an online raffle raising funds for The LifeLine Canada Foundation, an organization close to her heart, and giving fans a chance to score one of three Moleskine journals filled with lyrics, behind-the-scenes secrets, and space to write, scribble, or get creative. (PSA: You heard it here first — there may be a few more prizes being added to the mix!)

In this edition of Love at First Listen, read firsthand from Alyssa about her “gut-wrenching” new single, IDGAF approach to music, and why she wants to get in the studio with Doja Cat.

At first listen, your new single “Roses” is a total banger, but the lyrics reveal a much more raw, vulnerable perspective about facing your demons. How do you approach being so vulnerable with such a wide audience?

When I sit down to write a song, there isn’t really any intention other than emotional release. When I wrote “Roses,” I was sitting at a piano and it just poured out. It’s funny because once you take that piano song and you have to find a way to make it more marketable, there’s other production factors that come into play. Like you said, it’s a super poppy, fun song but at the core it’s this kind of gut-wrenching, super emo song. When people first hear it, they always tell me, ‘Oh, this is such a vibe,’ and then it takes them a few listens to understand the lyrics and they’re like, ‘Oh shit, wait.’

How did you learn about The LifeLine Canada Foundation and why did you choose to support them with this auction?

I was looking online for mental health resources because I’ve kind of figured out that it is difficult to find them nowadays, especially right now as I feel a lot of people are reaching out for the first time, and I really loved their site. They had personal resources, education tools, and really focus on suicide prevention, which has absolutely skyrocketed the past few years. Most importantly, I loved that the resources were all free. Therapy is very expensive, and for a lot of people it’s inaccessible. I really liked that they were committed to volunteering their time and helping people who can’t necessarily afford to pay $300 a session for therapy.

Fans have a chance to win one of your Moleskine journals, and an artist’s notebook always provides an interesting look into their craft and soul. What does your notebook look like during an album writing cycle?

I’m an ‘everything flows together all at once’ person. I know so many people that like to go on the mic and hum melodies and then try and fill them in later, but I think there’s always something magical in the songs where everything just comes out as one cohesive piece. It almost feels like it was meant to be and I’m just a vessel where the song is going through me and out to people.

Just before you released your latest album in December, you penned a letter to your fans putting your side project ASHS to rest and reclaiming the “Alyssa Reid” name. What made you decide it was time to end the ASHS era and return to your roots?

It just happened naturally. I had taken a little bit of time off over the past five years to really focus on songwriting and creative direction for other people and I really loved it. There were just a few songs that I was writing that felt a little too personal to give away, so we got the idea to do this faceless project on the side. No one was really supposed to know about it, but of course the people that had been following my career got it right away. But there was something really fun about it being faceless. I could just make music that I loved, have so much fun with my band and mess around on stage with the lights completely down, and there was no preconceived idea of what I was supposed to do.

After a handful of songs that were just very uniquely me, keeping it as a separate, private thing felt like I was doing a disservice to those people that had given me their hearts and put me in a position where I could even mess around and do a side project as a career. I decided I didn’t want to lose the attitude and fearlessness that the ASHS project had, so I amalgamated them with the intent that there was going to be a little bit of polish but I was going to keep my ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude.

In that letter, you also mentioned your hit single “Alone Again” was celebrating its 10th birthday. Is it insane to think you’ve been in the business for that long and you’re still finding new ways to evolve with that same dedicated fanbase by your side?

It blows my mind. Pop careers are not supposed to last for 10 years. They’re maybe supposed to last for two to four years, so the fact that there are people still supporting, streaming, and caring, I feel really lucky. This is what I love to do and a lot of people that I admire have had to hang up their hats and I don’t know why I’m still here, but I’m eternally grateful for it.

You’ve written for artists like Alessia Cara, Kayla Diamond, and Owen Barney. Is there one artist you’d absolutely love to write for, and how would the song sound?

I love Doja Cat. I love her personality, I love her music, and I love that she always experiments and doesn’t stick to one sound. I find her such a captivating person. I feel like she would be so fun to work with because she would be down to do anything and we could really push boundaries.

Fun question here: Every artist I talk to still gets a rush any time they hear one of their songs on the radio or over the speakers in a store. Where’s the most random or unexpected place you’ve heard one of your songs?

The last one was probably Subway. I was in the middle of an order and I stopped and I was like, “This is my song!” And the man was like, “This is my song too!” I think it was “Satisfaction Guaranteed” and I was like, “No, really, this is my song!” It was this funny little moment we had together, but it was conveniently both of our songs, just in different ways.

You ended one of your last posts of 2021 with the caption “it’s been a minute but WE’RE BACK, BABY!! #ALYSSAREID2022” What exactly can fans look forward to?

All of the music that I’ve been hiding away from everyone for the past five years is finally getting unleashed and now, hopefully, with the world opening back up, we can tour. We’ve already started planning shows, so the second we get the green light we’re going to town.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Alex Porat

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Alex Porat Interview

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

News flash: it’s Alex Porat’s world, we’re just living in it. With a fresh pop sound and highly-relatable (not to mention viral!) songs about love, life, and exploring your identity, it’s no surprise this 23-year-old, Toronto-based singer-songwriter has quickly attracted over 708,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alongside global critical acclaim.

Last month, Alex gave us exactly what we needed with her repeat-worthy debut album ‘MISS SICK WORLD.’ Songs like “dimension” perfectly capture the feeling of irresistible lust over someone you can’t have, while the sassy “never say ily again” serves as a final farewell to an ex you have no idea why you liked in the first place. 

With a new album comes a new tour and, luckily, fans don’t have to wait long — Alex is days away from heading out on the road with management-mate Ralph for a cross-Canada tour sure to be stopping in a city near you.

Get a behind the scenes look at Alex’s journey as we chat ‘MISS SICK WORLD,’ what you can expect from her live show, and her favourite music releases from 2021.

How does it feel to have ‘MISS SICK WORLD’ out for everyone to hear, and how did you know this was the right time to release your first full body of work?

It feels so great. I’m just about to head on tour with Ralph and I really wanted to perform a project that felt like it represented me as an artist first stepping into the world of live shows. I’m kind of treating it like a first impression or introduction to me as a musician.

What inspired the album title? Does it correlate with any overall narrative or themes the album explores?

The album title came from the track “miss sick world.” I left it last to release because I wanted it to set the overall tone of where I’m at now. The whole project is centred around my life and the story behind “miss sick world” is a commentary on how I’ve grown up navigating my identity. I’ve really struggled with my identity growing up, and it felt right to give such a heavy song it’s own moment on the project.

This era of your career has led to multiple milestones — booking a cross-country tour, landing a billboard in Yonge-Dundas Square, and, most recently, reaching one million subscribers on YouTube. What would young Alex Porat, who wrote music and recorded covers in her bedroom, say to the now 23-year-old Alex Porat?

I’m always in disbelief. It still never feels real to me and I always wonder if that feeling is going to stay. I can’t explain how appreciative I am to everyone. I think young Alex would probably ask me how this even all happened. When I was younger, I used to be able to picture myself on stage, singing, and recording music, but I could never picture what it took to get there. It really was just perseverance. Now, I’m realizing there’s still so much more left to accomplish and do. It makes me feel hopeful for the future because I feel like I can do so much more still.

One of your earliest endorsements was from Shawn Mendes, who loved your cover of his song “In My Blood.” Considering Shawn also rose to fame posting covers online, what does it mean to you to be part of the next wave of GTA artists making it big?

It’s an honour to be considered that, so thank you! I’m super proud to be from here and to be a part of the music community here has been so special. Despite there being so much talent, it’s a really tight community and very supportive. It was definitely a special moment for me getting that recognition from Shawn Mendes because it made me feel like a career in music was possible.

You recently said performing live was one of your biggest goals. Now that you’re about to go on tour and bring your songs to life for the first time on stage, which tracks are you most excited to perform?

I’m so excited! I’m definitely still in the process of adding more elements to my performances. I’m really excited for “dimension” because there’s a lot of choreography from the music video that I want to incorporate in some way at some point. I also really love singing “miss sick world,” even though it makes me want to cry.

It’s wild to think that we’re already approaching the end of 2021. Can you share some of the albums that you loved at first listen this year?

‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish and ‘MONTERO’ by Lil Nas X. I’m also obsessed with everything Lisa from BLACKPINK does!

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, New Music Friday

Love at First Listen with Felix Cartal

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Love at First Listen - Felix Cartal

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

In need of a summer soundtrack? Press play and turn up your speakers for Vancouver-based producer Felix Cartal’s latest release, ‘Expensive Sounds for Nice People.’ The 16-track album is a musical journey through the high-highs and low-lows of life, love and everything in between, and it features some of Felix’s famous friends like pop vocalists Karen Harding, Lights and Kiiara. Whether you listen from start to finish as recommended or join midway through the party, it’s guaranteed you’ll be on the dance floor ASAP.

Fall in love at first listen with Felix’s new album below and read our chat about release week emotions, “expensive sounds,” and how making TikToks compares to making music.

‘Expensive Sounds for Nice People’ is officially out! How are you feeling?

I’m excited and relieved at the same time — and slightly anxious because putting new stuff out is always a little bit stressful. But ultimately I’m happy it’s out in the world and I can enjoy it and also move on!

This album has been three years in the making. Was there any point where you wanted to scrap everything and change direction, or did that mix of stories and emotions shape the final tracklisting?

I have written and scrapped an entire album, so I’m trying not to do that ever again because that was insane. I had the bulk of this done in the first two years and then as the pandemic happened I had extra time to refine things. For me, I mostly just care about consistency because growing up in the late ‘90s, early 2000s musical climate, I didn’t like albums where one song was ‘the song’ and then the rest of it felt thrown together. Hopefully when people listen to my music from front to back they can hear that I thought about these songs being in this order and it’s enjoyable for them.

What inspired the album title and what makes an “expensive sound”?

I feel very fortunate that I get to do music as my job and I’ve gotten to do it since almost 2007, which blows my mind to this day. And to me that’s like, okay, so what allows me to do that? I think it’s so much the people that share my music and are cheerleaders for it. That means so much to me, so I think those are the Nice People and they’re the ones that make my music feel expensive and give it value. This album is definitely a thank you to the people who like my stuff — and the title also just sounds kind of cheeky.

When ‘Next Season’ came out, I asked you this same question. Is there a line on ‘Expensive Sounds for Nice People’ that stands out to you?

I love working with Ofelia K and I think she is one of the most underrated lyricists in the industry. I kind of work with her once in every chapter of my life and I love all the lyrics in the song we did this time, “Old Self.” I especially like the line, “If I told my old self it’ll be okay, would I be better?” I think it’s a really interesting way to think about enjoying the journey a bit more, not always being so stressed about what the next step is and just kind of going along with it, and I think it’s an interesting take on telling your younger self about this.

You seem to have found a new creative outlet in TikTok, especially with your now viral “Banned from the Gucci Store” remix. How has your experience been?

I kind of approach it the way I would make a song. I don’t have a plan; I’m just treating it like the spontaneous, of the moment thing that I think TikTok should be. I also definitely have noticed people going from TikTok to my Instagram or Twitch. On TikTok especially, there’s such a weird mix of people who really know my stuff and then some people who see it and are like, “Who are you?” And I don’t expect people to know who I am, but it’s nice that people will defend me to those people and say, “He makes really good music!”

Speaking of collabs, this album features your JUNO Award-winning single with Lights, “Love Me.” Can fans expect another collab in the future?

We’re always talking about stuff and we both want to do another song at some point, but we’re not going in with anything lined up yet. It would be insane for me if we didn’t do another thing — or even more than one other thing because we have a good friendship going now. I have the utmost respect for her as an artist and we have similar lengths of careers and we’re the same age, so that’s what we’ve gelled over a lot — just knowing the industry and some of its bullshit that we’ve been fighting through for a while. That’s why I love working with her and hanging out with her.

I expect songs from ‘Expensive Sounds for Nice People’ will be on a lot of summer playlists! What new summer singles have you been loving at first listen?

I love the new Gorgon City album that also came out on Friday. I actually toured with one of the guys from Gorgon City way back in the day when he had another project. I love seeing people that have been in the industry for a while or who are my friends win like that, so shout out to Gorgon City. My other artist who I love from a pop side of things is BENEE. I just want to have “Find An Island” on a constant loop every day when it’s hot out. 

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New Music Friday, Playlists

New Music You May Have Missed from April 2021

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Best New Music from April 2021
Every New Music Friday, I’m reminded of how much new music is out there — especially from artists I’ve yet to discover! Join me as I broaden my horizons and my music library with monthly playlists capturing new releases from every genre.

April was stacked with five New Music Fridays, running straight through to the very last day of the month. No surprise, then, that this month’s playlist clocks in at over seven hours, featuring the hottest new releases from Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande (who had a busy month releasing collabs with both Demi and The Weeknd), Majid Jordan and two incredible Olivias — Olivia Rodrigo and Olivia O’Brien.

What are you waiting for?! Grab your headphones or speakers, press play and dive into my selection of tracks you’re sure to love.

* deja vu by Olivia Rodrigo *

Hot off the heels of her mega successful debut solo single “driver’s license,” young songstress Olivia Rodrigo is continuing her reign as one of the most promising new artists of the year with “deja vu.” The infectious pop song is filled with clever shade to a boring ex who couldn’t be bothered to change up his game with his new girl. Repeating date nights and showing her the same shows? Come on, dude! Get 👏 it 👏 together!

While live shows are still a thing of the past (for now), you won’t want to miss Olivia’s highly anticipated BRIT Awards performance May 11, just days ahead of her album’s May 21 release date.

* That’s When (feat. Keith Urban) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift *

Your inner country heart is about to be absolutely thriving! Taylor Swift and Keith Urban’s voices sound enchanting together on this newly released ‘From The Vault’ track featured on Tay’s re-recorded ‘Fearless’ album. It feels like a crime that this song has been under wraps since the original album release in 2008! Better late than never, right?!

* So I Lie by Miguel *

Tell a friend (“or two,” he suggests): R&B mastermind Miguel is back. After re-releasing a trio of three-track EPs tied to his signature Art Dealer Chic moniker, the April release of ‘Art Dealer Chic 4’ gave fans some hints of new material, including standout single “So I Lie.” On the track, which is described as “very much a new beginning” for the singer, Miguel gets introspective and raw singing about “the walls [we] build out of fear of being torn down” and ultimately learning how to rise above, put on a brave face and, eventually, breathe again.

Looking for more Miguel? In an interview with Genius, the star shared he still has hard drives (plural!) filled with unreleased music. I’m certainly looking forward to hearing every last track he’s hiding in the vault! ☺

* Sociopath by Olivia O’Brien *

Singer-songwriter Olivia O’Brien debuted her newest release in a unique way, originally sharing an extended snippet of the song in February on TikTok as part of a quest to have fans select their favourite of two potential singles — the angsty “Sociopath” and anthemic “Bitch Back” — through social media interaction. In the viral battle of the songs, “Sociopath” came out as the winner and was released as a single earlier this month. Although the song gives me Halloween vibes 👻, I know I’ll have it on rotation all year long!

Both “Sociopath” and “Bitch Back” are set to be released on Olivia’s forthcoming sophomore album ‘Episodes,’ which will be released in two parts starting in May.

* Waves of Blue by Majid Jordan *

Whatever you’re listening to right now, pause it! “Waves of Blue,” the latest single from Majid Jordan, is a beauty of a song that sounds equally new and nostalgic and is giving fans renewed hope for an EP or album by the summer. In a statement, the Canadian OVO Sound duo shared, “‘Waves of Blue’ is like staring at the ocean. You’re not in the water, but you’re still getting carried away by its currents.” The track’s title embodies the song’s overall vibe of wanting to love someone and be lost in that love, which is also what you’re guaranteed to feel about this song after just one listen. (I genuinely listened to this song four times in a row writing this paragraph!)

* Save Your Tears (with Ariana Grande) (Remix) by The Weeknd *

You read right: Save your tears because The Weeknd and Ariana Grande, friends and star collaborators, have reunited for the official remix of this ‘After Hours’ fan favourite. This is the pair’s third collab following the 2014 release of “Love Me Harder” and 2020’s ‘positions’ hit “off the table,” and you know what they say—third time’s definitely the charm. Queue up this hit as your go-to post-pandemic karaoke song and join me in manifesting a full-length joint album!

* Dirty Laundry by Parson James and JoJo *

Magic always happens when you work with your best friend. For confirmation, look no further than “Dirty Laundry,” the new instantly repeat-worthy single from singer-songwriter BFFs Parson James and JoJo. “THIS SONG LIVES RENT FREE IN MY BRAIN,” JoJo tweeted — and I’m 100% on board. I only wish it was longer!

https://www.instagram.com/p/COTWeTMjJ3A/

Album of the Month: Phoenix by Charlotte Cardin

“I had to burn everything that I was / Just to come back like a phoenix,” sings Montreal-based artist Charlotte Cardin on the opening track of her debut album. Well worth the wait, ‘Phoenix’ is a beautiful 45-minute journey through the singer-songwriter’s five-year artistic journey in bringing the album to life. Touching on themes like love, lust, heartbreak and self discovery, Charlotte delivers it all: sassy bops like “Passive Aggressive,” groovy pop tunes like “Meaningless” and “Daddy,” plus signature ballads including the standout track “Anyone Who Loves Me,” which is just begging to be performed live.

Luckily, you can solidify your love for the album—and satisfy your live event craving—with The Phoenix Experience, Charlotte’s intricate virtual show which is available to watch on demand via Moment House until May 3 at 11AM EDT.

New Artist of the Month: NEW CITY

If you think you know NEW CITY, think again. It’s time to get reacquainted with the Canadian indie pop trio, back this month after a two-year hiatus with a fresh sound and a fresh face courtesy of new band member Chase Ellestad. “Losing My Mind” is as hypnotizing and catchy as the lyric video above suggests. Get ready to put this song at the top of your spring/summer playlist, and look out for much more music from the guys later this year!

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