LDN Music Magazine Summer 2019

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SUMMER 2019

THE NEXT GENERATION OF TASTEMAKERS

PUPPY

picture this ldnmix firestarter reviews alannah myles lily moore generation next

TEAM LDN

the tastemakers

BIMM LONDON - MUSIC JOURNALISM STUDENTS

ASH

ABI

CONNOR

AL

JACK

LIBBY

JOHN

LARISSA

NARGIS

PHILIP

MARIA

TOM

TINA Hello! My name is Tina Hart TinieTinah I’ve been overseeing the creation of LDN with this talented team I hope you have come to know and appreciate over the academic year.

It’s been a blast and a lot of hard work creating this fresh new-look maga ine and brand e tensions. ur s uad has grown and ourished, and some are ying the nest as graduation is upon us. heck out the feature on pages - to see what aspirations these young guns have for their ne t steps. I hope you’ve en oyed your time with us, do delve back into the archives for plenty more great content. or now... HA Y ER! T

“Now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.

Make good art.” - Neil Gaiman The closing weeks of the academic year prove some of the hardest, however, some of the brightest in your schooling career. The above quote reaches further than time spent at university and should encourage you to take your passions into the wider world. My work on this magazine will accompany me on that journey.

I hope - as the next generation of tastemakers - Team LDN’s diverse tastes have entertained and informed you, as we’ve served you the best of what we love. In our final issue of this academic year, you can find our punk kaleidoscope cover stars Puppy, Irish poprockers Picture This, Libby’s guide to R&B plus the consistent wave of Generation Next, Reviews, History Lesson and Firestarter!

You can find what the rest of the team have been listening to on our LDNMIX Spotify playlist and more exclusive content online at ldnmagazine.com. Until we meet again.

Ashley Hall

THANK YOUs

CONTENTS 4 PUPPY

7 PLAYLIST: LDNMIX 8 PICTURE THIS 10 GENERATION NEXT: NEW MUSIC 12 FEATURE: LIBBY’S GUIDE TO R&B 15 REVIEWS 16 HISTORY LESSON: ALANNAH MYLES 17 FIRESTARTER 18 WHAT’S NEXT?

bimmlondonmagazine@gmail.com LDNmagazine.com @LDNmusicmag

Thank you to everyone who has been part of LDN this year.

All our student contributors: writers, designers, website, playlist and socials execs, photographers, street teamers - WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU! To all the BIMM LDN execs and tutors who have lent support and believed in this project: Jen O-B, Simon C, Jerry T, Jo K, Julia R, Michelle H, Graham J, James W, reception - CHEERS! Our printers Peter and David @ UEL - brilliant. The PRs, places around town we have distributed the mag, and to you THE READER, you’re the best. Long live print media!

LDN MIX SCAN ME!

WELCOME NOTE

4 / COVER FEATURE

PUPPY

Puppy are dominating the metal scene with their alternative, stoner rock sound. Following acclaimed EP releases, 2019 saw them unleash debut album The Goat, once again going down a storm with fans and critics alike. LDN’s Jack Bartholemew catches up with singer and guitarist Jock prior to the group heading off on their UK tour.

Are you excited for ‘The Greatest Of All Tours’?

Yeah, for sure! It’s always nice knowing people have shown up to see you rather than whoever you’re supporting. That’s assuming people turn up of course...

What’s your favourite thing about touring?

No responsibilities! You just have to worry about the show and that’s nice. You have to disconnect from everything else to make it work because it can be weird too.

Are you happy with how album The Goat turned out and how it was received?

Yes - it’s been pretty positive. Having a proper body of work behind you is exciting.

It’s our strongest stuff and another step forward for the band.

How would you describe Puppy’s sound?

It sits slap bang in the middle of Teenage Fanclub and early Ozzy Osbourne.

Failing that, a heavier Weezer tends to do it.

COVER FEATURE / 5 The music vids you’ve released are super creative. What sparks those ideas?

Billy and Will make them and they’re an extension of the ethos of the band.

They can come from anywhere.

Usually, one of them will suggest a vague concept and we’ll all put in suggestions to help flesh it out. We’re lucky that they’re both competent and creative film makers.

The fact they come from within the band means they’re always going to complement the music well; it comes from the same place creatively.

How’s it been supporting other bands?

There are many facets to our band that different people might latch on to. If we’re out with a heavier band like Kvelertak the audience might be more into the riffy side, or a more melodic band like Creeper might have fans that get into the choruses more. Generally though, music fans are pretty open minded and it might be the dude in the battle vest and spiked wristbands that ends up telling us the lyrics to ‘Forever’ made him cry or something.

That’s never happened by the way but I sincerely hope it does.

Your sound is unique compared to other bands of similar genres. How did it come about?

A lot of that comes from the mix of people and personalities in the band. Billy (drummer) and I came from playing in general alternative/indie bands, whereas Will (bassist) came from playing in stoner/doom bands. The combination of wanting to do heavier stuff that still had a real sense of melodic, ‘classic’ songwriting had a lot to do with that meeting of minds.

What’s the most bizarre incident that’s ever happened whilst performing?

One night we were demanding that three confused men make a circle pit and asking individual members of the audience how their day was. This old guy wanders up and brings us three pints, so we invited him on stage for the rest of the show. He started smacking Billy’s cymbals in time with the music and I played a couple of guitar solos back to back with him.

He made that show the most fun of the whole tour - big shout out to old guy Jack. I genuinely think a few of them thought we had this middle-aged man with a handlebar moustache as a sort of dancer. I kind of wish we had.

What more can we expect from Puppy?

We have a bunch of festivals over the summer, so check our socials for info on that (@puppyvybes), and we’ve started working on some new music which we’re trying to figure out what to do with. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can put it out.

Puppy’s UK tour stops at The Underworld, in London’s Camden, on 25th April.

6 / COVER FEATURE

“THIS OLD GUY WANDERS UP AND BRINGS US THREE PINTS, SO WE INVITED HIM ON STAGE FOR THE REST OF THE SHOW.” Jock's guide: TO BEING A

Always look to better yourselves. If things aren’t working out, think about how you can improve without having to rely on, or blame, anyone else. No one’s going to care about your band as much as you do and no one owes you anything - so you need to find that drive within yourself.

3 2 1

SUCCESSFUL

ROCK BAND Just get out and start playing. Learn as you go. Everyone I know in music has been in umpteen other bands before they found something that stuck.

Learn what you want to do musically. How to tour, who you want to play with, what gear you need, what works for you and how the whole thing works in general. My old band once opened up for a Tina Turner tribute act called Teeny Turner, so I know what I’m talking about.

LDNMIX

PLAYLIST / 7

It’s an important part of any music fan’s education to learn the basics of major genres. At LDN we are here to provide you with the necessary tunes to help you navigate the foundations of this wonderful thing we call contemporary music. Don’t forget to check out our Spotify playlist LDNMIX to inspire you to discover your new obsession.

ALT/INDIE

CONNOR

There are so many subgenres (dream pop, shoegaze, post punk) that it’s difficult to categorise indie (which literally means ‘independent’, anyway). Still, there’s an abundance of fantastic rock and alternative waiting to be discovered. Concerning the new talent, some may fade into obscurity, others should fill arenas.

ALONE TONIGHT – GAP GIRLS | IN DEGREES – FOALS ROY – HEAVY LUNGS | TOO REAL – FONTAINES D.C. OCEAN WAVE – DESPERATE JOURNALIST

DUBSTEP

TOM

Dubstep has become a dirty word. Once a grassroots genre bringing together those in London with a love of bass music and broken drum patterns, it was Americanised and artists such as Skrillex and Knife Party adopted the genre, turning it into ‘Brostep’.

Old-school dubstep is still alive and well, and these five tracks are perfect evidence.

YOUNG CROWN – DAYZERO | PARASITE 6 – TERNION SOUND GHASTLY – SAMBA & CHOKEZ | POST MODERN DUB – HEBBE INTERGALACTIC CULTS – GRUNDY

BIG ROOM

LIBBY

Dance music is perhaps one of the most complex music genres. From house to EDM, the style has exploded since its inception. Avid dance fans may see big room as somewhat insignificant in comparison to the rise in other sub-genres, but here are some tracks that might just change their minds.

CALAVERA – HARDWELL & KURA | BURNIN’ – CALVIN HARRIS & R3HAB TURN UP THE SPEAKERS – AFROJACK & MARTIN GARRIX | BARRICADE – AXWELL RAISE YOUR HANDS UP – SANDER VAN DOORN & CHOCOLATE PUMA

POP/POP ROCK

NARGIS

Whether you want something to cry to, bop about to, cry to again, and then get into a mosh pit - look no further. I have compiled five songs I’ve been loving that do all those things and more. Have a listen.

ONE DRINK – PICTURE THIS | BROKEN – LOVELYTHEBAND STRANGE LOVE – SIMPLE CREATURES | HALF MAN HALF GOD – DON BROCO SOMEONE YOU LOVED – LEWIS CAPALDI

8/ INTERVIEW

PICTURE THIS

Photo credit: Ashley Osborn

Following the success of their self-titled debut in 2017, Irish pop band Picture This released follow-up MDRN LV that beat pop princess Ariana Grande to No.1 in the Irish charts. Nargis Borhan spoke to singer Ryan Hennessy and guitarist Owen Cardiff about the album, the new sound and touring.

Your new album is called MDRN LV; what experiences and emotions does it take us through?

R: The ups and downs of relationships I’ve experienced, which I think a lot of people can relate to.

Tell us about the first single ‘One Drink’.

R: It's the most different and we wanted to come back with a shock factor.

It’s always scary coming out with a new sound, but thankfully it paid off.

O: We’ve gained fans that didn’t necessarily like the band before.

How would you describe your sound?

R: It’s more upbeat. The first album was more acoustic, this one holds a fresh pop sound. We experimented with it. I don’t know who you could compare it to.

INTERVIEW / 9 My favourite track from the album is ‘ roken’ hat as the riting creative process like?

R: I had the vocal melody recorded and lyrics for the verse. I showed (bandmate) Jimmy who played these dark chords but I didn’t know if that’s how I wanted the song to sound. He was like, “Trust me, this is how it has to go, and he finished up the rest of the song. It quickly became our favourite song from the album.

Di ou a e an hallenges hen aking this re or R: I don’t think we did to be honest.

We challenged ourselves a lot to better the first album. We recorded and wrote it all ourselves and we had a clear vision on what we wanted to do.

“

TO O O

T D T

TO “

RYAN HENNESSEY

re there an tra ks ou ish a e the albu no so hat oul ou s a R: We’ve done a lot of songs since that album that I wish we had done in time.

O: There’s a couple of songs that are old as well…

R: eah, there’s also songs that we did ages ago. We were in L.A. and we were listening to all the old demos, thinking, “Fuck, I should have put that on there!”

I don’t think I would have taken anything off I would’ve ust had a track album. aybe next time we’ll do that. hat’s our a ourite i ture This song R: It changes all the time, but today it’s urt obody’.

O: eah, I’d say urt obody’ or ance way With ou’ or ore Than ust Tonight’.

Maybe even verything or othing’. hat has been our highlight or the ban so ar R: There’s a festival in Ireland called lectric icnic and we were the second headliner. It’s local ust five minutes down the road. It was the most amazing night of my life.

Do ou ha e a a ourite enue to la R: , the stadium we played in une.

That was special. I was looking back on videos recently and that was one of the massive ones; 35,000 people.

O: ublin’s rena is great too.

R: Anywhere in Ireland is amazing.

We have had some special gigs in the though hepherd’s ush mpire was a big one.

Do ou re er big or s all enues R: I prefer bigger venues; the bigger the crowd, the better the buzz I get.

O: Me too.

R: ecently, I’ve loved playing smaller shows because it’s cool to kind of go back and earn your trade again.

When we play in the and urope, the shows are smaller. ou’ e got a lot o big tour ates this ear. o ere our fi e sol out nights at Dublin’s rena R: ma ing, we’d been waiting for it for so long. The fact that it finally happened was so exciting.

O: We always say it’s great to do multiple nights in one venue, so to do that at 3Arena is amazing.

Album is out now. icture This play ondon’s oundhouse on riday st ovember.

10 / GENERATION NEXT: NEW MUSIC Top track: COME TO THE RIVERSIDE

jolie

TIPPED BY LDN’s ABI

Pop-folk duo Jolie are the femme, au naturale acoustic duo we have been waiting for. The pair, made up of Josephine Zettervall and Lisa van Reenen (hailing from Sweden and the Netherlands respectively), found each other at BIMM London where they were united by their passion for music. They are working on their first EP and promoting their talent at gigs around London as they strive to make a name for themselves.

Stunning crowds with their effortless harmonies and passionate delivery, the duo excel at writing deeply expressive lyrics that are performed with a gentle innocence and a clear desire for more.

Top track: ALONE TONIGHT

gap girls

TIPPED BY LDN’s CONNOR

It’s difficult to avoid the abundance of modern alternative influenced by 80s synthpop, and even harder to make that material stand out. Gap Girls - the new solo project by Nevada musician Jacob Rubeck - debut Street Desires that works around this conundrum with a harrowing shoegaze aspect and a beautifully crafted nightscape which is nothing short of authentic. ‘Running Through My Mind’ is optimistic post-punk for the rebellious at heart, while album opener ‘Alone Tonight’ is excellent; it’s the song that plays when you’re the last one on the sticky dancefloor and you can’t think of anything worse than to go home.

Top track: BOUNCE

finn foxell

TIPPED BY LDN’s TOM

At only 19, rapper Finn Foxell has quickly risen to become one of the most prolific artists on London’s grime and UK rap circuits. Utilising melodies both dark and uplifting, he creates unique music that stands out in a scene that can be tainted with tedious tunes. Collaborating with artists such as fellow Londoner and hip-hop artist Lord Apex and Omari Lyseight of Ammi Boyz, Finn has an incredible discography under his belt.

Having featured on The Gelato Tape alongside artists such as Kish! and Pullen, it doesn’t look like he plans on slowing down any time soon.

GENERATION NEXT: NEW MUSIC / 11 Top Track: I WILL NEVER BE

lily moore

TIPPED BY LDN’s PHIL

Brighton singer-songwriter Lily Moore is simply incredible. She combines astonishing vocals with her own heartfelt lyrics to create some of the finest soul-pop tracks since the queen of jazz Amy Winehouse. She’s released two EPs and charmed adoring audiences with her electric personality at multiple sold-out headline shows in London. Not to mention her live support slots for BIMM alumni George Ezra and James Bay. My recommended track, power ballad ‘I Will Never Be’ is a showstopper, and highlights a young star who has all the qualities to be the next iconic British female songstress.

Top track: BUTTHURT

TIPPED BY LDN’s AL

alice and the bugs

Imagine harmonies sweeter than the sweetest honeybee, smooth chords and an aesthetic of the crawly kind, and you might just dream up Alice and the Bugs. Critters of the South London region, they aptly create a DIY oasis of innocence and an honesty that comes with youthful wisdom. Sixties inspired and brilliantly captivating melodies seamlessly flow, yet they remain a species of their own. Keep and eye and ear out for AatB as they release their debut on cassette label Sad Club Records. One thing’s for sure: this five-piece will make you groove out of your cocoon.

Top track: GOLDEN GIRL

TIPPED BY LDN’s JACK

king for a day

Young blood – definitely a term applicable for Whitstable hard rock band King For A Day, who formed in early 2019. Fear not, they already have all the essentials. With exhilarating riffs that’ll blow your skull to smithereens blended with amicably catchy choruses, how can you go wrong? Numbers aren’t a concern either; they know how to amplify cacophony as a three-piece. After playing their first gig locally, they’re set to release more quality material and blow the roof off more venues. They’re ready for dominance, the question is: are you?

LDN

12 / LIBBY'S GUIDE TO R&B

LIBBY’S GUIDE TO R&B It’s only natural that a genre spanning almost a century will have undergone some major changes. The surge in technological advances in the 80s was imperative to defining the sound we now coin R&B. From early crooner Ray Charles to the buttery beats of Bryson Tiller, R&B is complex. Such a long-winded history may seem intimidating, but don’t worry; Libby will guide you through…

RHYTHM AND BLUES

With roots in the early twentieth century, it can sometimes be hard to define the genre of some modern R&B tracks. Do they belong wholly to this style, or are they more heavily influenced by hip-hop or electro?

The music we associate with R&B has origins back in the 1940s. Emerging from various African American communities across the US, the genre was born from a struggle for freedom; the turbulence of romantic

relationships and worldly aspirations. Blues was aptly named for its somewhat depressive themes and minor keys.

The innovative electric blues - plus the formation of soul and gospel - added

LIBBY'S GUIDE TO R&B / 13

TLC

the rhythm aspect to the style. Many popular 50s and 60s rock ‘n’ roll bands were branded as ‘rhythm and blues’ for their danceable beats and love-focussed language.

Artists such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Etta James are examples of original rhythm and blues visionaries.

Ray Charles Sings the Blues is a go to.

CONTEMPORARY R&B

The shortened ‘R&B’ term was first used for 70s soul and funk genres before it finally took its own shape in the 80s. This saw the sound adopt elements of pop as well as hip-hop and electronic music. From then on through the 90s, the sound exchanged a full band in

favour of a drum machine and synths, yet keeping the smooth vocals. This is often defined as the golden era.

Quincy Jones’ production on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall is viewed as a catalyst, which in turn saw the rise of Prince, Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey.

Hip-hop elements were also significant in R&B girl bands such as TLC and Destiny’s Child, who changed the grit of the former for love topics of the latter.

Another key element of R&B style was created in this era, known as melisma. This is singing the same word over a succession of notes and adds to the prominent, smooth demeanour of the genre.

The early 2000s saw the influence of 90s sub-genre neo soul – just listen to any Alicia Keys track. In this decade, hip-hop and R&B were often thrown under the category of ‘urban’. The main differences here were the lyrical topics and increased density of the former.

Whilst hip-hop was filled with rap, R&B was characterised by soulful melodies.

The 2010s popularised AutoTune and highly computerised synthesizers to the mix, leading to increased experimentation.

“The genre was born from a struggle for freedom; the turbulence of romantic relationships and worldly aspirations.”

“The early 2000s saw the influence of 90s sub-genre neo soul just listen to any Alicia Keys track.”

Also referred to as indieR&B and hipster-R&B, defining elements include trap-inclined beats alongside diversity of lyrical ideas. Often darker than contemporary R&B, this sub-genre covers sex, drugs and money, contrasting the rhythm and blues focus on romantic relationships and ambition.

Bryson Tiller’s T R A P S O U L (the blend of trap and soul genres is evident throughout) has ignited a whole new R&B generation.

ALT R&B: A NEW WAVE

The term ‘alt R&B’ is hotly debated amongst music critics.

What depicts the genre and the naming of the sound is still up for consideration.

MARIAH CAREY

Picture: ROLEXX

14 / LIBBY'S GUIDE TO R&B

BRYSON TILLER

RHYTHM AND BLUES INNOVATORS Ray Charles – Drown in My Own Tears / Sam Cooke – Bring It On Home To Me Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long

CONTEMPORARY CATALYSTS Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman / Michael Jackson – Rock with You Stevie Wonder – I Love You Too Much

GOLDEN ERA TLC – Let’s Do It Again / Destiny’s Child – Bills, Bills, Bills Usher – U Remind Me / Craig David – 7 Days

A NEW WAVE Bryson Tiller – Exchange / H.E.R – Focus / 6LACK – PRBLMS SZA – Broken Clocks

LIBBY’S TOP 10 Brent Faiyaz – Talk 2 U Roy Woods – Switch Ray Charles – Georgia on My Mind

TWENTY88 – Déjà vu Brandy & Monica – The Boy Is Mine Trey Songz – Playboy

Stevie Wonder – All In Love Is Fair

Whitney Houston – Greatest Love of All

TLC – No Scrubs

Jackie Wilson – I Get The Sweetest Feeling

JOHN

REVIEWS / 15 One thing’s for sure, there’s no sophomore blues for country music star Maren Morris. Her second record GIRL exudes the same sass, songwriting ability and cohesion that her debut did, while offering a fresh sonic perspective. Morris seamlessly blends her unapologetic influences of soul, R&B, pop and country, to give her listeners an accessible experience while still grasping the autobiographical substance we have all come to know and love. The title track sees her delve into female representation, ‘A Song For Everything’ and ‘All My Favourite People’ radiate a sense of relatability, as the mid-tempo production and trademark husky vocals glide through the speakers like a gift to the fans’ psyche.

The real artistry, however, comes from the second half of the record.

Morris manages to reclaim her sexuality with songs like ‘Make Out With Me’ and offers commentary on modern-age marriage with songs ‘Good Woman’ and ‘The Bones’. Obvious standouts are album closer ‘Shade’ that’s unorthodoxly reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Don’t Stop’ and reads like an illustrious soulful ballad, and ‘To Hell & Back’ that revels in its simplicity with irresistibly rich lyrics. GIRL remains archetypal of Morris while contributing something authentic to the jaded musical landscape we are in currently and it’s a strong contender for next year’s Grammys.

Warped fuzz, reverb and reptiles, lots of reptiles. What’s not to like?

London-based duo Chiba have perfectly nailed that oh-so-trendy chaotic surfpsych sound that you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re members of King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard’s extended family. Think winding synths and staggered slow grooves with riff-fuelled mayhem for days. Reptile Room is music for when you want to let your hair loose and put on your favourite Can T-shirt (whilst in a distorted desert underworld). Garage rock, reptile rock, whatever you want to call it - it works. If you like sprawling vocals and thunderous beauty strange enough to make David Lynch proud, then this is for you. Wild, weird and woozy, ‘leave your skin at the door’.

The streets of Glasgow have arrived in a psychedelic groove full of shattering electronics, freakish melody and growls of gloom in the form of the heaviest signing in 25 years for Hopeless Records - Social Hazard. Growth is the biggest concept evolving from band Lotus Eater with a collection of tracks that explore dark cinematic themes and express tormented songwriting. Opening with the blistering ‘Thug’, the aesthetics of the following tracks are set out with high-intensity percussion and distorted vocals that summarise this soon-to-be infamous era.

The EP’s ferocity continues in ‘Yuck’ and ‘Freak’, layering the vocals of Jamie McLees and guitar/vox of Douglas Park over monstrous fills and driving bass lines that complement each other beautifully. Addictive singles ‘The Fear’ and ‘Mother’ leave no remorse with some of the heaviest and most disorienting tones this side of 2019. The final reel of tracks ‘Words.Nothing’ and ‘Jawless’ come together in esteemed brute fashion, including horror film-esque risers for the closing sounds of the record. Emotive and harrowing, Lotus Eater rise from the ashes and start the wildfires of a sonic revolution. Nothing will stand in their way - if you’ve seen them live, I don’t think you’d want to either.

ASH

GIRL

AL

CHIBA

REPTILE ROOM

MAREN MORRIS

LOTUS EATER

SOCIAL HAZARD

R E V V II E E W W S S R E

HISTORY LESSON Alannah Myles

In the early 90s, Canadian singer and songwriter Alannah Myles became a multiaward winning artist, with her single ‘Black Velvet’ racking up accolades including a Grammy and US Billboard Hot 100 Chart No.1. LDN’s John Turner talks to Alannah about her rise to fame, worldwide smash single and struggles with the music industry.

The music may seem effortless, but Alannah’s journey to becoming a musician was something she had to “struggle with in order to create”. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, she was “folky” growing up, listening to the likes of Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell before moving on to rock and R&B. By the time Alannah was in her 20s, she had begun working multiple jobs; modelling and acting in commercials while banging out AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ with her three-piece band in pubs and working in nightclubs in the evening. “Modelling was never for the money until I stopped making it,” she explains, “It was my way of learning how to groom myself for stardom”. This exposure ultimately led to Alannah being offered an international deal with a major label, which led her to quit a lucrative eight-year career that had brought her a healthy advance in order to focus on creating her first album.

In 1989, Alannah’s self-titled debut was released, generating the international No.1 smash hit, ‘Black Velvet’. The soulful ode to Elvis was penned by

longtime collaborator and mentor Christopher Ward. Despite the song’s success, it was a late addition to the record, “Once we returned to pre-production, Christopher brought a guitar and the words to my producer, David Tyson and I to sculpt what we now know to be a classic hit, so extraordinarily it left me with the unjust moniker of becoming a one hit wonder” she says.

Regarding the impact of the song, Alannah notes, “I believe music was, at that time, right in the middle of a revolution through the force of middle America who were hungry for something real or country. The American music audience literally chose ‘Black Velvet’ to win a Grammy over Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Alison Moyet, Lita Ford and Melissa Etheridge. ‘Black Velvet’ is a very special song that seemed to unite all lovers of music no matter the genre.” Even though Alannah admits that the song is “a bitch to sing.”

In the following years, Alannah never managed to recreate the same level of success. She never felt pressured to. “It never mattered to me. My mission in life

caused me to follow my heart.

I chose to sing songs that I felt honest about delivering. Though there certainly was tremendous pressure for record execs who were more interested in winning awards without the strategy that might elicit them.”

After three albums and selling ten million records, Alannah parted ways from her label and was subsequently at a financial loss. Despite her hardship, she says, “It’s never been about the money… I’m proud of my music and I can hold my head high.”

Following a severe break to the leg, Alannah now spends most of her time “researching quality entertainment”, singing to her leopard kitty and continuing to write music. She teases fresh music - “New music is always in the works,” she hints. As for when we will get to hear it, the jury is still out, as she is waiting for the right production partner to work and record with. “My new music will probably reflect more resonant tones in my voice. I prefer to sing music that expresses rhythm and real soul.

I think my love of singing ‘Black Velvet’ taught me that.”

“It’s never been about the money…

I’m proud of my music, and I can hold my Albert Sanchez head high.”

FIRESTARTER / 17

PARTY

FOR ONE? WHY IS NO ONE PAYING ATTENTION TO CARLY RAE JEPSEN?

Photo: Natalie O’Moore

Only Carly Rae Jepsen can pull off joyous tunes like ‘Party For One’ (the lead single from her summer 2019 album Dedicated), a self-love anthem full of signature positivity-filled pop hooks - a current favourite of LDN’s Philip Giouras. He is riled that everyone seems to know her name but not give her songs the respect they deserve and thus proclaims that we must be immediately enlightened about our new Queen of Pop. In 2010, Canadian superstar Justin Bieber burst onto the scene with cheesy teenybopper pop single ‘Baby’ - it amassed over 2 billion views on YouTube and made him a global sensation. Two years later fellow Canadian Carly Rae Jepsen had similar success with the addictively catchy tune ‘Call Me Maybe’ amassing over just a billion views.

Both have since released mature pop follow-up records, Bieber’s Purpose suddenly had grown men singing along in the club and hitting the dancefloor to hits like ‘Sorry’ and ‘What Do You Mean?’, yet when Jepsen released the album Emotion the same year, its big hits ‘I Really Like You’ and ‘Run Away With Me’ were considered guilty pleasures and uncool to be caught singing along to in the street.

FAST FORWARD TO SPRING 2019 AND CRJ HAS RETURNED WITH SOME FANTASTIC NEW SINGLES. WORSE THAN BEING A GUILTY PLEASURE, IT APPEARS AS IF NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION AT ALL, AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHY THIS IS. A number of critics absolutely adore her and I’ve never met someone who doesn’t like at least one of her songs, the problem it seems is that she’s forever known as the ‘Call Me Maybe’ girl. This isn’t just incredibly disappointing due to the huge amount of talent she has and fantastic pop singles she’s released since, but more because we’ve let Justin Bieber,

Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift move on from their cheesy pop stage whilst seemingly adamant that CRJ remains stuck in 2012.

Carly Rae J is also completely inoffensive, just a nice woman and all-around lovely person singing about happiness… two things that seem in short supply in 2019. Maybe that itself is the issue... But then you could argue Ed Sheeran made a whole career out of being Mr Nice Guy - is wholesomeness not deemed cool for female pop stars (double standards are hideous)? It definitely seems you need an edge to stand out.

Flavour of the moment Billie Eilish - who lacks in any musical substance - has propelled herself into charts and teenage hearts with her dark, depressive ‘edgy’ aesthetic.

I’ve had enough of the problem now though, how about a solution?

Let’s collectively axe ‘Call Me Maybe’, forget CRJ existed before last year if you want. Instead, let’s celebrate and champion Carly Rae Jepsen the same way we support our favourite new artists.

To start with, I implore you to watch the jawdropping, hilarious video for ‘Party For One’, get lost in the haze of ‘No Drug Like Me’ and dance like no one’s watching to ‘Now That I’ve Found You’ and after you’ve done those three things maybe you’ll start to spread the word about our new Queen of Pop too.

18 / WHAT'S NEXT?

#SQUADGOALS The final issue for the scholastic year means some of us at LDN are bidding farewell as graduation is just around the corner. Here, we get real about what we want to do post-BIMM. Don’t forget to follow us and check out the projects we mention!

GRADUATING 2019

MARIA

@MariaGalea

@MariaGalea95

As much as I have enjoyed my time as a student, I am looking forward to graduating and starting a career in music, ideally in marketing or PR. Whenever I find my fulltime role in music (hopefully not too long after I leave my student days behind), I’d still like to write about it on the side. You can view my portfolio mariagalea.co.uk and a blog that’s not just about music fearlessheaven.com.

Aside from editor duties on LDN this year, I’ve been working hard on my final project - a blog called Look At Her Go - and I’m enjoying it so much I plan to keep it around long after I graduate. It’s all about celebrating the many women in the music industry lookathergo.co.uk or @lookathergoblog on all socials.

@ashleyswhall

ASH

I’ve applied for internships at some amazing companies. Hopefully I’ll soon be working in PR, helping smaller acts grow, and trying my hand at some music making myself! I’d also like to create a podcast, so I can share my enthusiasm about all my favourite bands. It’s important to me that I keep making different multimedia projects no matter how big or what industry it’s in - that’s my main focus.

I recently finished up my first zine for a brilliant band called God Complex. It’s my photo book/promo tool that I feel more bands should be using to bring more creativity back to the industry.

LIBBY

@libby_longg

@libbylongg

When I graduate, I want to commence in a Masters degree in Visual Communication. I wish to learn as much as I can about design, mainly magazine and website design, before embarking into the wide world of adulting. I hope that alongside this I can continue to write about music, as it is my one true love!

Read some of my pieces and check out my design work at libbylong.wixsite. com/portfolio. My final project, a magazine focussing on females in the music business, can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - search for Godiva Music Magazine.

WHAT'S NEXT?/ 19

@larissaharring

LARISSA

When it comes to graduating and becoming an adult in the adult world, my first order of business is to find a job that makes me happy. I want to be able to enjoy my work and create something daily that makes me proud. Whether I go into PR, design or marketing, I want to keep my creative streak going.

As for other projects, I’m working on a magazine that combines the music industry and the winter sports industry. I plan on distributing this publication in ski centres across the country and interviewing as many skiers and snowboarders as I can in the peak season. Head over to acrossthealpine.com for more!

JACK

My NameIsFury

savior of humanity

nce reality gives me the hard earned kick in the face called graduation’, I plan on working freelance or as a staff writer for rock and or metal publications. I’m working on pitching my own publication called Distorted Sound, a magazine that focuses on all guitar rock from indie to heavy metal. I plan on expanding it to a website and pitching it to publishers. Check it out once it’s completed That is if you dare!

GRADUATING 2020 @nargisborhan

NARGIS

nce I graduate and the realisation hits that I am in the real world’, I hope to find a job in PR, marketing, social media as those are the areas I’m most passionate and interested in. I’m currently building as much experience as I can in these fields through internships and work experience, so when it is time to y the nest and leave BIMM, it’ll be smooth sailing and not a car crash!

JOHN

turner official

jpturner

nce I graduate, I’ll most likely begin my journey like a deer in the headlights!

I hope to delve into writing freelance (mainly reviews) while trying to make it in the world of country music radio and music documentaries, acting as a voice for minorities, specifically in the country music scene. ven if I haven’t won you over on country music yet (see my guide in the LDN Mar Apr issue on pages - ), be sure to look out for my country music podcast utlawed utlook that will be debuting later in the year.

TURN YOUR PASSION INTO YOUR CAREER A MUSIC JOURNALISM DEGREE FROM BIMM EQUIPS YOU WITH THE SKILLS YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER DEVELOP SKILLS IN BROADCAST, PRINT, & DIGITAL MEDIA BUILD UNRIVALLED INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS

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