new music: ‘ritual pop’ singer francine thirteen celebrates female sexuality in meditative “lust heals, give me my sin again”

Recently, I was watching a video of the late poet ItsReaLight in which she utilized the term “spritual erotica.” The shockingly descriptive term would be fitting of rising star Francine Thirteen’s distinctive music. Mastered by the legendary Dave Cooley (J Dilla, M83, Madlib), the self-described “ritual pop” singer’s latest single, “Lust Heals, Give Me My Sin Again,” is a meditative take on the Bible’s creation story. Driven by chimes, percussion and wispy vocals, the song tells the story Adam, Eve and Lily, who is loosely based on the mythological figure Lilith.

“Evoking the Biblical creation story, it explores the tension between the holy and the profane as it relates to female sexuality,” the artist explains. “Lust Heals” shares its name with her forthcoming EP and short film out this summer. Check out the song below!:

Follow Francine Thirteen: Facebook | Soundcloud 

 

video: french soul artist imany elicits the help of dance star lil’ buck for hauntingly beautiful video, “lately”

Internationally renowned French pop-soul singer Imany has just released a brand-new video for “Lately” from her second studio album, The Wrong Kind of War. The surreal video was shot in the ruins of an old courthouse in Dakar, Senegal by Malick Ndiaye, a perfect metaphor for the failed relationship the haunting lyrics of the song describes. “Lately” also features dancing from the wonderfully inventive and famed street dancer Lil’ Buck, who brings the beauty of the song even more to life with his breathtaking dance moves. Check out the video below!:

Photos by Barron Claiborne

Follow Imany: Facebook | Twitter | Website

paris-based rapper killason shows off incredible dance chops and gets introspective in new video “wrong”

A year after dropping his first wave-making EP The Rize, Paris-based hip-hop artist KillASon (Marcus Dossavi-Gourdot) brings his vibrantly hybrid style back with STW1, a six track offering of lighter, more melodic, but even more compelling music showcasing the rising star’s appeal. Critically acclaimed by the French press (including Les Inrocks, Trax, Noisey) as well as internationally (The New York Times, The Quietus), the multi-talented 22-year-old’s charisma is exemplified in the video for “WRONG”, the latest single off STW1. A dancer with the crews Wanted Posse and Undercover, the introspective track features the artist’s incredible moves across barren landscapes as he raps about persevering through temptations to become someone you are not.

“‘Wrong’ is about how life goals must not change you,” KillASon explains. “Lenny Grosman (the director) & I wanted to build a dream-like, timeless and spacey picture of my soul. The 2 lords dancing in the clip are like spirits helping me to face my darkness. The hook highlights this fear of becoming a heartless slave of success: ‘Hey what’s WRONG in my head / All I want is *annihiler ennemies on my way / Nevertheless I’m sure they no ennemies they’re just people like me / People trying to make something out of existence.’ (*annihilate in French.)

We shot the video in Tenerife, Canary Islands, last September. It’s produced by my company SUPANOVA & Dissidence Production. I also partnered with startup developper TheFamily & peer-to-peer transportation service Heetch. We had 1 month only to make it happen. It was a real challenge and we made it! Yayaya Fleekah”

You can pre-order STW1 by clicking here (available April 21)

Photos by Gregory Brandel

Photo by N’Krumah Lawson Daku

Follow KillASon: Soundcloud

 

video premiere: houston-born singer/songwriter locke takes us on a sexy date in funky “rendezvous”

Houston-born, LA-based Locke is a queer pop singer/songwriter whose Prince, Jimi Hendrix, and Lenny Kravitz influences are unmistakable. The artist’s undeniable talents have led to him being featured by The Huffington Post, Out Magazine, Idolator, GLAAD, Logo’s NewNowNext, Upworthy.com, PopMatters.com, Blurred Culture and many other publications. His debut EP Blue Heart is an infectious collection of Electric Pop, Funk Rock and R&B Soul, tackling themes of love, sex and empowerment. Exemplifying these talents, the rising star drops the video for his latest funky, salacious single, “Rendezvous” today.

“In conceptualizing the music video for “Rendezvous” I was inspired by the blaxploitation, detective, and martial arts action films and tv shows of the 1970s. While it was before my time, I used to love renting and watching them with my brothers when I was growing up,” Locke explains. “Some of my favorites are Shaft, Dirty Harry, Charlie’s Angels, Starsky & Hutch, and The Way of the Dragon. It was fun to cast Kaleena, my bandmates and myself as 70s stock characters. This video is my parody/love letter to 70s action cinema. While lyrically the song uses “Rendezvous” in one context, I liked the idea of layering in another context for “Rendezvous” through the visuals.”

 

Follow Locke: Facebook | Instagram | iTunes | Soundcloud | Twitter | Website

 

new music: london-based soul singer melisa whiskey gives a taste of the “sweetest cake” in playful new single

When London soul singer Melisa Whiskey dropped her first track “Played” in January, it was quickly picked up as a BBC Introducing Track of the Week, and BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Twin B also made it his Track of the Week. Her natural soul sound mixed with R&B and Gospel influences were immediately recognized as giving her an undeniable inventiveness, reminiscent of Anderson. Paak.

Introduced to Gospel music at a young age, Melisa’s soulful influences are unmistakable, and include a diverse blend ranging from the likes of Lauryn Hill to Patsy Cline to Sade. Now, the singer is back with “Sweetest Cake”, the first track to be from her forthcoming debut E.P. Moon & The Sky, once again setting the bar for soul and R&B.

Take a listen to the infectious single below!:

*Hari Ziyad is a New York based storyteller and writer for AFROPUNK. They are also the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitR, deputy editor of Black Youth Project, and assistant editor of Vinyl Poetry & Prose. You can follow them on Twitter @hariziyad.

Follow Melisa Whiskey: Soundcloud | Twitter | Website