Here are the four up and coming indie artists that we can’t stop listening to right now!
Ellajay
Ellajay (stage name of Stephanie Schecter) is an indie singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York.
She is a familiar face at the likes of Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End where listeners are drawn in by her catchy melodies, honest lyrics and upbeat alt-pop vibe.
Ellajay’s latest track ‘Clocking Out’, her first single release this year, deals with the artist’s toxic relationship and finding the strength to move on and let go.
The track is a moment of powerful self-reflection and Ellajay’s heartfelt performance will move listeners while her energetic and catchy melodies will stick in their heads.
Even though the subject matter is heavy, the overall feel of the track is fun, warm and joyous as Ellajay celebrates a fresh start and new freedom. It reveals the power of music to be able to turn a negative experience into something moving and upbeat.
Ellajay’s soothing indie vocals are captivating and comforting, transporting you to a dream-like place and making you want to press replay over and over. She is an artist that we will definitely be following closely!
To keep up to date with the latest news from Ellajay, you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram. To listen to her latest releases, head to YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Daniella Spadini
Daniella Spadini is an emerging indie-pop singer-songwriter from rural Northern California where growing up, she filled the quiet of small-town life with song-writing and music.
Her early influences— including Frank Sinatra, Carole King, and the Beatles— shaped her lyrically driven style, within which she also draws on her modern inspirations, such as Ed Sheeran, JP Saxe, Sasha Sloan, and Adele.
As Daniella begins the exciting journey of releasing her own original music, her down to earth nature shines through beautifully on her debut single ‘Part Of You’.
The track is about dreaming of being with the person of your dreams who is separated from you by physical distance.
There is a definite spark between you but you aren’t able to pursue anything while you are far apart so you have to hold onto their memory really tightly.
It is easy to get lost in Daniella’s delicate and dreamy vocals. They combine perfectly with the atmospheric beat and establish ‘Part Of You’ as a stunning debut track, ready to be added to all your indie playlists.
To keep up to date with the latest news from Daniella Spadinin, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To listen to their latest releases, head to YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Flockheart
Flockheart is a Los Angeles based band, made up of Roxy Seven (vocals/lyricist), Sydney Deardorff (bass/guitar) and Brayden Hesford (keys/drums).
Their new track ‘Seven Ninety Nine’ is a disco-inspired number, influenced by LA’s iconic bar Good Times at Davey Wayne’s, whose punchy percussion, funky bassline, groovy guitar riffs and sizzling vocals will earn an instant place on your summer dance playlist.
The song is about all the things in your life that just keep demanding more of you such as your Netflix subscription (with “7.99” representing a monthly charge) and the lyrics also speak about the transactional nature of certain relationships in our lives, both platonic and romantic.
“Seven Ninety Nine is an equal labour of love from all members of our band, from lyric revisions to guitar and bass layers, and remixing and mastering throughout a majority of the pandemic,” explains Roxy.
“Having it released at this moment feels like an accurate launch into a post-pandemic summer. We hope you can groove to our summer tune!”
To keep up to date with the latest news from Flockheart, you can follow them on Instagram. To listen to their latest releases, head to YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Film Dheva
Film Dheva is the musical project of the singer, composer, pianist, guitarist and producer Proudmany Dheva-aksorn.
She released her debut single ‘You Didn’t Hear It From Me’ in 2019, followed by ‘Space Child’ (Acoustic), ‘Fun This Way’ in 2020, and ‘Beg for Your Love’ and ‘Kiss Me’ in 2021.
Among her influences are Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, King Princess, Kacey Musgraves and Dheva makes a point of playing a leading role in all phases of the musical process, such as composition, recording and mixing.
She wants to encourage women to pursue artistic careers and have total control over their work. “Only about 5% of the world’s music producers are women. Within the 5%, even fewer write and perform their own music,” says Dheva.
Her latest track ‘Miss Out’ is about realising you have to make sacrifices and leave behind certain things in order to experience more of the world. The track takes the perspective of those who want to move beyond their established circles in order to discover more about what they want from life.
“The thing you leave behind may be so great, there’s nothing wrong with them, but it’s just not what you want, and the song tries to emphasise that it is okay to feel that way, because we are all different,” says Dheva.
‘Miss Out’ is intimate and its lo-fi down-tempo beats combined with mellow vocals gives the track a unique sound that beautifully express the idea of exploring your options and having the courage to have a difficult conversation with grace and understanding.
To keep up to date with the latest news from Matthew Thomas Hope, you can follow them on Instagram. To listen to their latest releases, head to YouTube and Spotify.
Follow Up&Coming’s Indie List Playlist to listen to all the tracks!
by Eveline Vouillemin ©