Playlist: HITS magazine

To celebrate the release of our first print issues, here's a playlist featuring all artists involved.

HITS x Berlin

We hosted our very first live gig in Berlin - and this is what it looked like.

Cover The HITS

Our latest video series - covers performed by our favourite acts, exclusively for us.

Video Interview: Scenic Route To Alaska

Melting away in front of Stuttgart's castle, we had a chat about touring, band names, Toy Story and a lot more.

Find us on YouTube!

Visit us on the 'tubes for interviews, exclusive performances and outtakes.

Song Of The Day: "With You" by Hannah Grace



Hey everyone!

Should we just take a moment to appreciate the amount of brilliant releases 2019 has already seen?

I mean, come on - it hasn't even been a month and yet here we are,
constantly adding new music to our playlist.

Our fellow music blogger friends are sharing one fantastic piece after the other and it's safe to say that 2019 is off to a great start.

So let's continue listening to what January has to offer.


- Song Of The Day -
"With You" by Hannah Grace


Hannah Grace is a singer/songwriter from South Wales.

Her variety in sounds is just as wide as the spectrum of influences that inspire the young musician.
Drawing inspiration from incredibly talented female artists such as Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and Florence Welsh, it's no surprise that Hannah's sound varies from Folk, to Soul, to Jazz with sprinkles of Pop and Rock.

Her tremendous talent soon caught Gabrielle Aplin's attention, whose label, 'Never Fade Records', Hannah is now signed to.

Over the years Hannah released her debut EP "Meant To Be Kind", toured with Gabrielle Aplin and supported Irish phenomenon Hozier, played countless festival sets and released her well received EP "Mustang" in 2016.

Later on Hannah released "Praise You"
- her version of Fatboy Slim's track, which was chosen for Lloyds Bank nationwide campaign, subsequently sold in excess of 50k copies and was played on BBC Radio 2.

Her previous single "Oh River" did not only leave us speechless, but also saw Dermot O'Leary and his team sharing the track on his Radio 2 show, allowing even more listeners to discover Hannah's talent.

Even Lady Gaga shared Hannah's cover of her song "Million Reasons", calling Hannah a superstar.


And now she's ready to wow us all over again.


"With You" doesn't waste a second.
Right from the first chord on, the song grabs your attention and lets you travel through the verses which are led by Hannah's stunning voice.

It's a soulful journey we get to go on as we follow the track,
it's a song full of empathy, support and comfort.
The lyrics talk a good friend through a tough time and really highlight the importance of having great friends around you.

Hannah's soulful voice makes every track she releases and absolute joy to listen to and "With You" is no exception. The control she has over her voice and the belts that she's able to present so easily are enough to give you goosebumps right away.


Listen to "With You" right here:




- buy and/or stream "With You" -



Hannah Grace online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via Wilful Publicity

EP Review: "Human" by dodie



Hey everyone!

We know, we're a day late for New Music Friday here.
Apologies!

Somehow we got caught up dancing to all the brilliant releases yesterday,
that somehow we fell behind with the writing.

But fear not, we've got more coming up!
January 18th was an absolute beast when it comes to the releases and we've saved all the goodies we want to share with you.


So let's continue!


Artist: dodie
Title: Human
Genre: Pop
Label: doddleoddle
Release Date: 18th January 2019


dodie is a singer, songwriter and video artist from the UK.
She is currently based in London and has built a loyal community of likeminded creatives via her platform on YouTube.

The "Human" EP is dodie's third EP and continues her musical journey.
Her debut EP "Intertwined" was released in November 2016, then "You", her second EP came out in August 2017.
With both EPs out and multiple single releases under her belt, dodie has been touring regularly, taking her YouTube crew along and documenting the gigs in incredibly creative ways.

We're absolutely thrilled to share our thoughts about "Human" with you and would love to hear your thoughts on it as well.


Let's jump into the EP!


Tracklist:
1) Arms Unfolding
2) Monster
3) Not What I Meant (feat. Lewis Watson)
4) Human (feat. Tom Walker)
5) She
6) If I'm Being Honest
7) Burned Out


"Monster" showcases dodie's talent for melodies and theatrical writing,
using very vivid lyrics to describe the thoughts and emotions she wants to communicate.
The instrumental is a combination of classic percussions and random samples, giving away just how many details dodie pours into her music.
With layered vocals kicking in towards the end, the song takes a dramatic and dynamic turn and gives the song more depth than it already had.

When going through dodie's work on YouTube, you'll often find collaborations with fellow artists.
Those beautiful community vibes are also present on the EP, highlighted by the "Not What I Meant" duet with fellow musician Lewis Watson.
It's a soft and smooth track, dodie's and Lewis' vocals blend together so nicely, creating one unit of absolute listening pleasure.

We also get to hear a lot of strings on multiple tracks of the EP, including title track "Human" which features guest vocals from Tom Walker - a drastically darker track which is so vivid, you can't only hear the music, you can actually see it.

"If I'm Being Honest" is a vulnerable and honest song.
dodie's vocals transport emotions so well and let you feel every word she sings. With a voice so clear and gentle, her vocals are her very own version of powerful.
When a vocalist is able to display so many feelings with her instrument, she clearly does not need to belt the notes to impress her listeners.


To sum it up: The "Human" EP is handcrafted. You hear 100% dodie on every track.
The amount of details in the instrumentals, the personal and colourful lyrics, the theatrical vibes are beyond her years and combine the classical elements with modern touches.


You should listen to these tracks: Monster, Human, If I'm Being Honest



Watch the music video for "If I'm Being Honest" right here:




- buy and/or stream "Human" -



dodie online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram








Thank you for your visit!















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via dodie

Album Review: "Heard It In A Past Life" by Maggie Rogers



Hey everyone!

If we can give you one clue about what you can expect from New Music Friday on HITS today,
it's that it's completely focused on girl power.

We are so excited about the amount of ladies who are releasing extremely fantastic music today,
so naturally we need to share as many of them with you as we can.

(Might be feeling some pressure to really get all the posts out there today,
but let's do it!)

Let's start chatting about one of those releases we've been anticipating for months now!


Artist: Maggie Rogers
Title: Heard It In A Past Life
Genre: Alternative
Label: Capitol Records
Release Date: 18th January 2019


Maggie Rogers is a singer, songwriter & producer from Easton, Maryland (US).

She has found her roots in Folk music and over the years has developed the unique and versatile sound she is now known for.
Maggie learned playing the harp at age seven, soon added guitar, piano and banjo to the mix and found herself indentifying as the banjo girl, a title she still carries with pride.

In 2016 Maggie had the chance to have her song "Alaska" played in front of Pharell Williams, which led to the video of his reaction going viral.
Being visibly moved and impressed by the young musician's talent for writing and producing, Williams had no notes on changes to be made, but a whole lot of praise.

And he's not alone.
Maggie caught the attention of music fans all over the world and quickly went from being an insider tip, to the new girl everyone in the industry talks about.


Alright, now that we know more about Maggie,
let's get to know her debut album.


Tracklist:
1) Give A Little
2) Overnight
3) The Knife
4) Alaska
5) Light On
6) Past Life
7) Say It
8) On + Off
9) Fallingwater
10) Retrograde
11) Burning
12) Back In My Body


Opener "Give A Little" is a clever track that pulls you in from the first note on.
The little sample sound is the first one we hear and it stays with us throughout the track, allowing us to settle into the song and discover the rest of the elements.
Maggie's vocals take control of the song as soon as they kick in, which is an absolute delight for your ears.
With a chorus so catchy and infectious, you'll be singing along in no time.

"Overnight" is definitely a stand-out track with a melody so fascinating and refreshing.
Again, it's Maggie's voice which controls the rhythm of the track so seemingly easily that you are completely drawn to the lyrics. She seems to have this absolute talent for placing backing vocals and little synths in the most logical yet surprising ways, grabbing your attention and not letting go of it until she finishes the track.
(Fun fact: the synths on this track are samples of glaciers and frog sounds!)

Her most recent single, "Light On", deserves to be heard in every version that is out there.
You might've seen this - pretty iconic - performance of the track which was shot in Paris as it literally blew away everyone on the internet the other day.
It's a vulnerable track, telling the story of something that's coming to end and the emotions that come with change. It's Maggie's promise to stay true to herself, to still be "dancing at the end of the day", no matter what.
And that's one powerful message to send out there. (And we're gladly receiving it, joining the dancing!)

"Back In My Body" is the beautiful end of this stunning record, which resembles Maggie's journey through life.
Each track takes you along on the ride, drives you carefully through the bumps along the way and let's you come home with the final track on the album.
The instrumentals get a big moment and showcase her talent as a writer, musician and producer.



To sum it up: With lyrics that tell stories so honestly and openly, "Heard It In A Past Life" is filled with songs you can relate to.
On top of that, Maggie Rogers clearly has all the skills to win you over with clever chord progressions, catchy hooks and danceable beats.
Dare we call this album one of the most exciting records of the year this early on?
Absolutely!


You should listen to these tracks: Give A Little, Overnight, Alaska, Light On



Watch the magical music video for "Light On" right here:




- buy and/or stream "Heard It In A Past Life" -



Maggie Rogers online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!














Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via Maggie Rogers

Release Of The Day: "Don't Feel Like Crying" by Sigrid



Hey everyone!

Happy New Music Friday!

We're back at it and ready to fire away the slightly intimidating amount of brilliant releases that are out today.
For some reason everyone seems to be releasing insanely good music today,
which is great and keeps us busy as one can be.

So, shall we kick the day off with some feel good track to get us all up on our feet?


- Release Of The Day -
"Don't Feel Like Crying" by Sigrid


Sigrid is a singer/songwriter originally from a tiny place in Norway.
At the age of 18, she moved to Bergen, Norway and quickly became a part of Bergen's music scene.

Her bold and modern pop sound is shaking up the industry, one day at a time.
Signed to Universal Music, the young musician was hyped as one of the most exciting break through acts of 2017 - and she did live up to those expectations.

Her debut EP "Don't Kill My Vibe" didn't only "wow" us at house in the sand,
Sigrid helped defining a new era for women in pop music.

Earlier in 2018 she released the "Raw" EP and blew away even those who weren't fully on the Sigrid train just yet.

Since then, things have kept growing and growing - and it's not stopping.
After releasing more catchy singles and touring extensively, Sigrid has recently announced the release date for her debut album, "Sucker Punch", which will be out on March 1st.


Now she's here with "Don't Feel Like Crying", combatting tears with beats and synths. 


The song has an upbeat, yet still effortlessly cool vibe to it.
It's lively, but it's not too much.

With rather simple verses which launch into bigger choruses, Sigrid kept a brilliant recipe alive and has given the song the perfect amount of ballance. 

Her vocals confidently deliver the lyrics with ease, keeping herself and everyone else on the upbeat side of life, not giving into sadness and self-pity.
The instrumental sound itself has a very Sigrid-like feeling to it, one that you can identify as her within the first few beats - which, for an artist as relatively new as Sigrid, is an impressive thing to achieve.

If the rest of the album is as good at impacting our emotions as this one, we're all in for a real treat.


Listen to "Don't Feel Like Crying" right here:




- buy and/or stream "Don't Feel Like Crying" -



Sigrid online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!
















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via Sigrid

Song Of The Day: "Almost (Sweet Music)" by Hozier



Hey everyone!

I often think that a lot of you might roll their eyes when I start rambling about how music is pretty magical.
I mean, to be fair, I think it sounds cheesy, too.

But hear me out.
To me, magic is something that is powerful in subtle ways,
something that can affect you without trying too hard.

And let's be real - music does exactly that.

So, to me, music is magic and I was reminded of that today, when I listened to Hozier's new single.
It didn't take more than the first chord to get me super excited to get to know the track and as soon as the percussions kicked in, magic unfolded.

And so, we need to talk about the track.


- Song Of The Day -
"Almost (Sweet Music)" by Hozier


Besides releasing a brand new track today, Hozier has also just announced the release date for this second album, "Wasteland, Baby!". The new record will be out on March 1st.
You can pre-order it right here.

With "Almost (Sweet Music"), Hozier shares another taster of what is yet to come.
2018 saw the return of the soul powerhouse with lyrics to drool over, as he released his "Nina Cried Power" EP showcasing four songs, the title track featuring the legendary Mavis Staples.

Once music fans all over the world had digested the new EP, he quickly followed up with "Movement", arguably one of his best songs to date.


And now we get to hear yet another new track of the upcoming album.


"Almost (Sweet Music)" holds all the key elements a Hozier fan would want it to hold, but at the same time sounds extremely refreshing and slightly surprising.

Right from the first chord on, you get the feeling that you're about to listen to a very lively song.
Unlike "Movement", this track has a light feeling to it.
Whilst the previous single wowed us with elegance and mystery, this fine track is convincing us with a melody and rhythm so brilliant, was it a photograph you'd wanna frame it.

The combination of the instruments creates a, dare I say reggae-esque, atmosphere.
With a voice like Hozier's, an artist could get away with lazy songwriting - but that's one thing you'll search for without success when it comes to Hozier's writing.

Not only do his lyrics fall under the category of poetry, his instrumentals are crafted so carefully, allowing every element to play an important role.
With "Almost (Sweet Music)" we get a lot of the classic Hozier; the percussions, the clapping.
Yet something about the track sounds new - and we cannot wait to hear more of it on the album.


Listen to "Almost (Sweet Music)" right here:


- stream "Almost (Sweet Music)" -



Hozier online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!
















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via Hozier

EP Premiere: "Never Grow Up" by Miss Demeanor & the Mean Beans



Hey everyone!

Happy New Music Friday!
It's release day all over the world and we love this energy of hearing new songs everywhere.

We're thrilled that you're spending this Friday with us and have got a cheeky little premiere for you.

Instead of just celebrating one track, we've gone and got you an entire EP to listen to.
So, please lean back, relax and discover some brand new tracks with us.


- EP Premiere -
"Never Grow Up" by Miss Demeanor & the Mean Beans


Miss Demanor & the Mean Beans are a three piece hailing in from Bloomington, Indiana (US).

With a self-titled EP & the "Live from Skootsville" EP out,
the trio has already been described as "Indiana's spunkiest punk group".

Miss Demeanor & the Mean Beans are:
Jessie Brewer (vocals, bass)
Evelyn Sanders (guitar)
Rachel Leonard (drums)

And today the band is here to drop their brand new EP, "Never Grow Up".

If you ask us, the EP is a brilliant soundtrack for those days on which you just want to lounge around at your place, watch movies, stuff your face with food and stay in your pajamas all day.

The smooth and steady drums hang out with you throughout the entire EP,
they're like the reliable friend in the group and holds it all together.

This allows the punky guitars and energetic basslines to take over and mix things up every now and then.
It's clear that Miss Demeanor & the Mean Beans are here for business with their unique sound and have created a world of their own.

Are you ready to join it?



Listen to the "Never Grow Up" before everyone else right here:




Miss Demeanor & the Mean Beans online: Bandcamp | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!
















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: via 1212 Records

Behind The Song: "Summer Sun" by Cari Cari



Hey everyone!

It's the second week of the year!!!

Don't worry, I'm not going to count the weeks for much longer,
I'm just excited that we're already seven days into the new year.

How's it going for you all?
We're having the time of our lives digging through emails to find the music we think you'll love.

And without wanting to brag too much,
I think we've found a gem today.

So, this is your invitation to discover a band you might want to add to your playlist.


- Behind The Song -
"Summer Sun" by Cari Cari


Cari Cari are Stephanie Louise Widmer and Alexander Köck,
a duo from Austria you want to keep an eye on.

They met backstage, just a few weeks before Stephanie left for Australia.
She came back with instruments and impressions aplenty and soon the duo started spent a summer in an old house by the lakeside, where they wrote and recroded their debut, "AMERIPPINDUNKLER".

Said debut got released in 2014 and Cari Cari immediately received worldwide critical acclaim.
With features on blogs from all over the world, their song "White Line Fever" being featured in American TV series, including "Shameless", the band quite quickly took off.

Their cinematic sound easily found its fanbase and allowed the duo to tour as far as the Australian East Coast.

After three years of traveling and living in different cities all over the world, Cari Cari returned with "Nothing's Older Than Yesterday" and continued to play live shows - for which they have received the XA Music Export Award.

With their latest hit "Summer Sun", the duo takes us on a journey through space and lets us become a part of their effortlessly cool party.


Before we get our swagger on, Cari Cari took the time to tell us more about the track: 

"We were working on our album during the summer.
Our studio is next to a lake but in the basement. That day nothing seemed to work. We were stuck and frustrated with writers' block. So I went upstairs, sat down next to the lake and just stared to the horizon.
The reflections of the sunlight on the water felt like a sea of crystals and everything around me felt at peace at once.
So I wrote: "Summer Sun - Wash Away My Troubles" / Summer Sun - Like Diamonds In The Water". I told Stephanie and she immediately found the melody. Our writers' block was gone and we went back down to record the song. It was magical! :)

We recorded and mixed the song almost completely by ourselves.
It's a weird mix of very old school recording straight to tape and the approach of an electronic music producer. We recorded the drums to tape and cut a loop out of them, then we layered them with programmed drums and used filter sweeps to increase the dynamic range of the song.

All vocals were recorded through a Russian vintage microphone called "Nevaton" and a vintage Roland Space Echo.
As so often there seemed to be a sweet spot with the vocals. We would do twenty takes and the intonation was always the same. But then there was one take, that was magical. I still get goosbumps when I think of it now.
We luckily tracked the take and from there on everything else fell into place."


Watch the music video for "Summer Sun" right here:




- stream "Summer Sun" -
- buy "Summer Sun" -




Cari Cari online: Website | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!













Credits // Words (Intro & Outro): Vanessa Jetwash | Image: Andreas Jakwerth | Words (About Song:) Cari Cari

Release Of The Day: "Better Than Today" by Rhys Lewis



Hey everyone!

It's the first New Music Friday of 2019!
Fridays aren't always the days on which the magic happens,
but they certainly are the days on which the magic gets released.

We're super excited to discover all the music which will be released this year.
Our hunch tells us that we're in for a real treat, so let's kick this first NMF of 2019 off, shall we?

We've got a stunning track to share with you.


- Release Of The Day -
"Better Than Today" by Rhys Lewis


Rhys Lewis is a singer/songwriter originally from Oxford (UK), now based in London (UK).

His sound is influenced by legends such as Carole King, Bill Withers and James Taylor.
Rhys' signature sound is a blend of Soul, Pop and Blues with hints of Rock and Folk here and there.
The diversity of his sounds, paired with his talent for story telling has led to millions of streams on his previously released singles & his debut EP.
 
Rhys shares his own experiences through his music, allowing his fans to find comfort and understanding in the lyrics while letting their worries melt away with the melodies. 

Within the past few years, Rhys has taken on the music world by storm and has toured with artists such as Freya Ridings, JP Cooper and James TW.

Besides that he sold out multiple headline shows in the UK & Europe and has performed on the British Music Embassy stage at SXSW 2018.


2019 is promising to be just as busy and has Rhys kick it off with the release of his new single, "Better Than Today". 



The track was his first experience working as a producer, alongside with Aidan Glover who co-wrote the song, Rhys has been working on this song in their studio in South London.

Rhys says about the track, "We've been living through some pretty turbulent times in recent years.
 I wrote this song to ease my anxiety about the state of the world and remind myself that, whatever our differences are, whatever we choose to believe in, we all live with the same good intentions common, and we're all hoping for a better tomorrow." 


"Better Than Today", in one word, is hopeful.

Despite the admitting of feeling quite scared and lost at times, the lyrics also talk about not giving up, not feeling alone.
It underlines the element of humanity and our basic emotional needs of wanting to be included, united.

The simplicity of the instrumental shows that this artist does not need a lot to craft a powerful and poignant piece of music.

With the piano being the only instrument accompanying Rhys' vocals, you really get to hear the depths his voice offers while he manages to transport the emotions directly to you.



Listen to "Better Than Today" right here:




- buy and/or stream "Better Than Today" -



Rhys Lewis online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!















Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: Daniela Alexander-Harris via Universal UK

Interview: Didirri



Hey everyone!

There are a few things we want to do more of in 2019.
We focused a lot on learning more about particular songs and albums last year - and we still aim to do that in the future.

But we didn't put as much focus on the brilliant artists that create those songs we love so much.
So this year we will be shining all the spotlights on the fantastic creators we come across.

We hope you're ready for it!

Today we're excited to share our conversation with the brilliant Didirri.


Didirri is a musician from Melbourne, Australia.

Ever since starting out, Didirri has managed to achieve big things; such as selling out two headline tours in 2017, supporting acts like Tash Sultana, Vance Joy, The Jezabels and The Temper Trap, and on top of that he sold out his first ever show in London at Shacklewell Arms.

Besides all of that, the young musician also played Fairgrounds Festival, Grampians Festival, Boogie Fest and NYE On The Hill.

Didirri switches between playing with a full band and playing solo shows. The latter providing a lot of intimacy, while the full band shows hit you with all the depth his music has to offer.

His debut EP, "Measurements", was released in July of 2018 and has convinced music fans all over the world of Didirri's talent.
Whether it's the dreamy "I Can't Get Last Night Out Of My Head" or the historical "Formaldehyde",
these songs quickly became staples for multiple playlists.





Didirri online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram


Find out what Didirri told us about his track "Formaldehyde", recording his EP, supporting Vance Joy, bad advice and a lot more. 


house in the sand: Hey Didirri! Thanks so much for taking the time to have a little chat.
How are you?

Didirri: Living life, loving it sometimes.

HITS: Do you find that writing music helps you to process things you go through? Or do you start writing about experiences once you've actually processed them?

Didirri: A little bit of column A, little bit of column B really. Healthy reflection through song is defnitely part of my writing process, as it is expression of emotion as it comes to me.

HITS: We absolute love your track "Formaldehyde" and the story behind it.
We'd love for you to share the writing process of it with out readers.

Didirri: It is an exploration of the infertility of Frida Kahlo and the plight of many women who have dealt with the inability to bring a child to full-term. I wanted to express my admiration for those powerful women who can turn something as painful as losing a child into art for others to reflect on.
It is supposed to express the anger of being out of control and the need to hold onto something painful for the sake of processing properly.



HITS: Rumour has it you've ended up laying under a piano, playing the clarinette while recording the EP.
How did that come about? And are there any other unexpected techniques we can hear on the EP?

Didirri: My producer and I are both very into folly rooms, the experimentation on the EP is due to a lack of sleep and an excavation of interesting sound. We likened the EP to sculpting sound, rather than painting it. Creating an excess of sonic qualities and then carving away the shitty ones. We wanted to create a space that was intriguing but still speaking to the songs.

HITS: You've played a bunch of shows for SofarSounds, which is such a cool concept, especially for the listeners.
But what was it like for you to play songs in such intimate settings?

Didirri: Incredibly exposing, confronting to my songwriting. But ultimately intimate and wonderful.

HITS: Probably a complete contrast to that was supporting Vance Joy at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne - so what was that experience like?

Didirri: It is a sea of delayed reaction magnified by the immensity of the crowd. Every single joke, every single line, every single moment lasts at least 30 times as long.

HITS: On Twitter you wrote, "I write songs to give myself advice, and hopefully others.", so what was the best advice you've given yourself?

Didirri: If you have a Plan B, you don't believe in Plan A. When Plan A fails, make a new Plan A.

HITS: And again, another contrast - what was the worst piece of advice you've ever gotten?

Didirri: Music is fun, but remember you aren't helping people, do something worthy with your life.

HITS: Your music is obviously featured on a bunch of playlist - but who is currently on your playlist? Any cool acts or tracks you might like to share with us?

Didirri: Oh pep! Bon Iver. Billie Eilish. Blake Mills. Julia Jacklin. Ro. Canary.

HITS: And the final question: we've built a house in the sand - if you could build a house anywhere in the world, where would you build it?

Didirri: The cobbled streets of Barcelona. I think it has my heart.


We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Didirri!
Make sure to check out his music.






Thank you for your visit!














Credits // Words & Questions: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: Ian Laidlaw | Answers: Didirri

Behind The Song: "The Other Side Of Waiting" by Jake Fields




Hey everyone!

Welcome to the first song feature of the 2019!

Whilst it sounds so futuristic, our main goal for this year remains the same:
We just want to bring great music closer to you.

And we're not wasting any time, which is why we're already presenting another "Behind The Song" feature today.

You can expect a lot more of these this year, as they've become a big favourite of everyone involved in the process of setting up features.

So, ladies and gentlemen, let's do this!
Let's discover all the music the year has to offer!


- Behind The Song -
"The Other Side Of Waiting" by Jake Fields


Jake Fields is a singer/songwriter and guitarist based in Los Angeles & Nashville (US).

His talent for experimenting with sounds and his love for pop rock, blues & folk has crafted his very own sound, which we invite you to fall in love with today.

It only took $70 spent at a thrift store to start Jake's journey into music.
After buying a guitar and an amplifier, Jake dropped his professional baseball aspirations and started to dedicate his time and passion to music.

Jake has teamed up with Jim McGorman (Avril Lavigne, Marc Broussard) to record his debut EP, "Someday You'll Be Mine", which will be out early this year.
His previous single "Memories Of 45's" has reached more than 100,000 streams on Spotify and is often described as a mix of John Mayer and Phil Collins.

So far Jake has played a bunch of shows and supported Kate Voegele at The Troubadour in Hollywood.

You can still get tickets for his show at Hotel Café in Los Angeles on January 10th.


Today Jake is here to chat us through the creative process of his latest single, "The Other Side Of Waiting":

"It was one of the songs that comes out in a subsconscious way.
We were playing the "groove" of the chorus section of the song, and I started singing whatever came to mind, and the song basically flowed from there.

I do remember initially singing out "the other side is waiting", and (my co-writer/producer) Jim McGorman came up with "the other side of waiting", which was far more interesting, and we of course kept it.

The way the outro of the song is sung is how we originally sang it in the midst of writing the song, which is in a recording that I remember going back to and wanting to keep that because it was completely in the moment and felt perfect.

The song was written and recorded at Jim's studio in the San Fernando Valley, full of amazing gear and guitars (which I cannot play, being left handed and all).

I think we recorded the vocals through an SM57 mic and it was recorded by the masterful Jim McGorman, who I wrote the song with and have learned endless things about music from.
He has produced some amazing musicians, and best of all, I've seen how being a great person and professional has benefited his own career through the year.
 I have a soft spot for a song he wrote with Kate Voegele called "Leave Me Hollywood", which I think deserves more attention.

As far as comparing the song to earlier material, there was only my first single, which was "Memories Of 45's". This song is coming from a much different place rhythmically and lyrically, and both the introspective and abstract lyric writing interests me."


Listen to "The Other Side Of Waiting" right here:




- buy and/or stream "The Other Side Of Waiting" -



Jake Fields online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!












Credits // Words (Intro & Outro): Vanessa Jetwash | Image & Words (About Song): Jake Fields

How To: support musicians in 2019





Hey everyone!

Happy New Year!
2019 is here and ready to unfold.

So how many new years resolutions have you got on your list?
Mind adding one more?
It's not a big one, you know, like "exercise more" or "eat less chocolate" - because those are hard, right?
Instead, it's a fun one - one that helps out a lot of people.

Your favourite artists to be precise.

We would like to add "support music" to everyone's new years resolutions.
Creating art is an expensive and time/energy consuming task - yet the world would be so dull without art.
To support those who spoil us with songs to dance, cry and relax to, we would like to dedicate this year to helping musicians (and artists in general).

To make it a little bit easier to get started, we wrote this little guide on how to support musicians in 2019.


1) buy music instead of streaming
We all know that buying music from the artists will help them more than streaming it.
While the do get paid for streams, it's very little. Buying singles, EPs & albums helps them more - of course. Still distributors, labels, managements, etc all get a percentage of the money, but at the end of the day the artists make more cents than from streaming.

2) if you can't buy it, stream it - a lot
If the first point made you think "well, I don't have that much money to buy all the music I love" - I get it, I'm right there with you. 
Life is expensive and we all have our bills. So if you can't buy an album, just stream it as often as you can. Even if the percentage the artists receive is smaller, it's still money for them.

3) buy merch
Don't worry, not all of these pieces of advice will involve spending money - they are just the most affective, so we felt like sharing them first.
So yeah, buy merch. Whether that's the cool band shirt, the environmentally friendly tote bag, the cozy hoodie or the practical mug - if you want it and you have the money, buy it.
You'll be helping out your favourite musicians while getting something pretty cool at the same time.

4) support crowdfunding campaigns
They are a newer way of artists getting funding for their projects.
There are multiple website through which these can be hosted - but generally all of them work the same way: you pay a certain amount of money (you can usually decide yourself) - either monthly or just as a one time thing, you receive a reward for it and the artists can use the money to complete whichever project it is they are working on. (Examples are recording sessions, getting physical copies, funding a tour, etc.


5) go see them live - and share clips on social media
With this one you're completing three tasks at the same time! Efficiency at its best!
Go and see your favourite acts live - that way you support them with ticket sales, but you also support them emotionally - it's a win win!
For some bonus points - share a short clip of your favourite song with your friends & followers - maybe that way you can influence them to go and see the artists themselves.
Wouldn't that be cool? 

6) follow them online
Online being the key word here - don't be a creep!
Nowadays followers, subscribers & likes are a lot like currency. Creators depend a lot on their social media interactions, so you can easily help them out by finding their platforms and following them.
Write comments, re-tweet, like pictures and share their music when you can and you're helping to keep art alive.

7) tell them you care
It's 2019.
We've all got another year of hustling in front of us - and while that's super exciting, it can also be a bit intimidating without having a solid support system.
Artists, if they haven't reached the highest level of fame, are most likely under-appreciated. And as anyone would know, that can be pretty discouraging. So - reach out to your favourites - tell them you care, encourage them to keep going, tell them what their art means to you. You're going to be surprised by the replies you'll get.

- bonus - 

8) host living room shows
This one is optional, of course. But if you can - try hosting living room shows.
A lot of artists are looking for rooms to play in - they usually announce that via their social media platforms - one more reason to follow them.
If you have the space, invite a couple of friends and get the most intimate gig experience one can have.
(We've done it before and shared the experience with you.)


And those are the few tips we wanted to share with you!

Let us know what you think - and please also share any additional tips you might have.


Together we can keep indie art alive.





Thank you for your visit!
















Credits // Words & Image: Vanessa Jetwash