This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to helen@shemakesmusic.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!
Avigayil
Avigayil, an Israel based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalistwho is preparing to make her mark on the music industry. Avigayil is more than a musician, she has a mission. She refuses to write romantic lovesongs because she believes “There is so much more to sing about in this world”. She chooses to write thought-provoking lyrics, and reveal vulnerability with her music. The 18 year old wrote her first song at the age of 7 and soon after started learning the piano and later guitar. Since then she has been writing constantly, she calls it her diary. Avigayil has already released 4 singles, from which she has gained raving reviews. ‘Little Moments’, her latest single, is just a glimpse of what’s to come. ‘Little Moments’ is about struggling to live in the present. Not managing to enjoy even the little moments. It’s simple but unique production, containing soulful piano sounds, harmony stacking and honest as well as vulnerable lyrics – You really feel like you are getting a glimpse into Avigayil’s secret diary. Listen below.
FLOTZAM
Is love written in the algorithms or the stars? FLOTSZAM asks this question in her new single, ‘Digital Love’, a cynical and playful exploration of love in the age of dating apps. Combining digital vocal effects with a hypnotic groove, this electro-pop tune is made for the dancefloor. As the song builds, FLOTSZAM will transport you into outer space with a psychedelic synth solo and swooping, interlacing vocal layers, before bringing you back down to earth with the sound of a Central Line tube and a reminder to “update fix bugs”. In a time when 40% of couples meet their partner online, technology has had a massive impact on the way we love, date and communicate. Lockdowns during the pandemic have only increased these changes. In ‘Digital Love’, FLOTSZAM wonders whether to delegate the decision of who to love to science and algorithms, or whether to leave her love matches to mysterious and magical forces. London-based artist FLOTSZAM wrote ‘Digital Love’ soon after reading bell hooks “All About Love: New Visions”: “Friends kept urging me to use dating apps to meet people, but past experiences had made me pessimistic about dating and I was quite sceptical about apps because of negative aspects of technology like inbuilt gender bias. At the same time, another part of me felt hopeful about the possibility of experiencing bell hooks’ positive vision of love, and curious about whether an app could make it happen.” Ultimately, the dancefloor is where FLOTSZAM finds her release and escapes from all these questions. She infuses this feeling of release into the track with expert creative production and flair from producers Ben Chetwood (Damian Lazarus & the Ancient Moons) and James Hallawell (Florence + the Machine). Listen below.
KASEIØN
KASEIØN is a 22 year old Indie pop singer-songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri. At the age of 17 she underwent life changing hip surgery. During her recovery she started writing music, which has since become a way for her to express herself, and she hopes that her music can do the same for others. In 2020 she was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which is a connective tissue disorder. Even while dealing with all of this, she pushes through to reach her one goal, to be a pillar of hope for those that feel hopeless. Her single ‘Better’ is a indie alt/pop song that has a retro 80’s nostalgic feel to it that is upbeat yet real and vulnerable. The narrative is one that can easily make a connection with people that have been gaslighted before. The song overall is very ethereal with heavy synths and vocals that are upfront with swooning and storytelling lyrics that leave an awakening in its path. Listen below.
Mol Sullivan
Mol Sullivan is a singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. Although she has been writing and performing for 15+ years, she had a wild ride with alcohol that stunted her mental and professional growth. After 4 years of sobriety, she is pushing her way back into the world of music as a way to honor and love herself. Her brand new single is called ‘Deep End Dive’. It’s kind of a catchy, bummer, pop song with a repeated bridge that offers a lil shimmer of hope and release from the melancholy undertones of the verses. Listen below.
Hypsoline
Friends since the awkward years of secondary school, Hypsoline (hip-so-lean), have been muddling through life together bringing their victories, hardships and heartbreaks to musical fruition since September 2019. The band consists of Beth Molly Moore, Trilby White, Natalie Caushaj and was made complete in early 2022 when they met Hannah Feenstra. The band’s influences range from The Pixies and The Beatles to bands like HAIM, Warpaint and Savages. They are also influenced by the likes of Lily Allen, The Cranberries and Nilüfer Yanya. Their debut single, ‘Space Babe’, is an exciting take-off for new Brighton band combining a blend of synths and indie bass lines with infectious vocal hooks. It is written for those who have felt the sting of a loved one needing space and the salty reaction of emotions over logic. Despite the meaning behind the lyrics, this is a tune you can dance to with an uplifting and powerful feel. Listen below.
Susie Merry
London-based singer-songwriter Susie Merry has shared the latest single to be lifted from her debut EP, Body In Time, out Sept 8. Titled ‘The Well’, the track is a meditation on what the future might look like for Merry, following a diagnosis of endometriosis in 2021. ‘The Well’ was written in one sitting on the day of Merry’s diagnosis, faced with the reality of the condition – which affects approximately 1 in 10 women – and in a moment of rawness. She says, “I was suddenly thinking about things I had never given serious thought to – being a mother – and grieving something I wasn’t even sure what capacity I wanted”. Despite the bad news, the song is as much about remaining hopeful and open-minded so as not to let milestones define her. The track title holds a symbol for women’s collective capacity for depth, and their magnanimous nature in the face of difficulty. Propped up by the finger-picking and thrumming double bass also heard in debut track ‘Weatherman’, she visits an uncertain future with tenderness – chants of “Still there’s time / Maybe one day I will stand in line” weave underlying optimism into the song. On the track, Merry reflects, “I had a lot of anger towards my body, but also a lot of softness and compassion. It gave me an opportunity I usually avoided to ponder about the future – but perhaps most importantly it helped me let go of the idea that life needs to follow certain milestones to be fulfilling, and what it means to be a woman. Structurally, it’s a simple song – I needed to make way for that clarity.” Listen below.
Emma Edel
Emma Edel’s new Dark Pop single ‘I Reckon Something’ is out now. Emma Edel is an emerging artist hailing from Kerry. ‘I Reckon Something’ explores the longing for a better situation while facing the harsh realities of over thinking and self-doubt. The track’s commentary essence also takes a self-reflective form exploring the ups and downs of your 20’s and how your actions and decisions can dictate your situation. Emma explains; ‘The idea of this song comes fromthe experiences I had while living in Dublin away from home. I had just come out of college, I was trying to work, pay rent and pursue music and I just felt I was in a cycle of getting nowhere with anything. In Kerry we have a saying “I Reckon” which means to “think/imagine/guess” which gave me the idea of wishing/imagining a better situation than the one you are in – becoming the track’s title ‘I Reckon Something’. The lyrics ‘we’re sinking but we can’t understand’ are contrasted by ‘I reckon something, We could just have it all’ which closes the chorus. This gives a sense of hope that you can achieve your desired outcome and life could be better than you ever imagined. The dark Pop track opens with a moody atmospheric intro and airy backing vocals. Blends of heavy guitar progressions, atmospheric synths, thick baselines and a modern beat give the track a low-key feel, building to a heavy last chorus. Emma Edel’s vocals are both honest and commentary of her situation. Listen below.
Jennifer Alvarado
Jennifer Alvarado is a singer-songwriter from Vale, North Carolina. Her first EP project titled Playing with Fire was released in April 2021. Her new country pop album titled Songbird is a two part collection of songs that shows Jennifer’s growth as a writer and is sonically much different than her earlier projects. Her second single from the Songbird project, titled ’Rock This Way,’ is a song about chasing love and doing things your own way while also giving honor to some of the most influential and classic rock songs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. “I wanted to write an anthem that people can have fun singing along too!” she exclaims. Her music has a country sensibility with a pop current running through it. Her voice is smooth and passionate with a sweetness and power that merge seamlessly into satisfaction for the listener. Her sound is a mixture of country, pop and blues that reflect an eclectic blend of influences. Listen to ‘Rock This Way’ below.
Check out more of our recent submissions via the playlist below!
