Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

‘Sucker Punch’ cements the Norwegian star Sigrid’s rise to pop prominence. The singer, songwriter and arranger today releases the colossal video to the single, working with acclaimed directors AB/CD/CD to create a confident, spontaneous, authentic pop-tastic visual. The 22-year-old progressive talent says: “The video is a bit mad, and that’s the whole point, as there’s a lot going on in the song. It’s filmed in London and the set design was so good, what a team. I hope people have fun watching it; and dance, sing and laugh. If you’re wondering if you can buy the Sigrid Tacos...we should make that happen!” Sigrid was catapulted into the public consciousness last year with the zeitgeist defining Don’t Kill My Vibe; with the certified-Gold Strangers, A-List record ‘High Five’ and critically lauded RAW EP following. The pop prodigy will now play her biggest sold-out headline to date on 12 November, as she takes on O2 Brixton Academy and tours the UK, as well as being chosen to perform at

The Specials, one of the most electrifying, influential and important bands of all time, release “Encore”, their first new music for 37 years via UMC /Island Records on February 1st. 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Specials and the legendary Two-Tone label in Coventry in 1979, and also marks 10 years since the band reformed to play some of the most vital and joyous live shows in recent memory. The 10-song “Encore” was produced by Specials founding members Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter alongside Danish musician/producer Torp Larsen and indeed is the first time Hall, Golding & Panter have recorded new material together since the band’s 1981 No.1 single Ghost Town. The Specials will take to the road in the UK and abroad throughout 2019 in support of the new album. HMV customers can pre-order ‘Encore’ on CD or vinyl before 11.59pm on Monday 29th October 2018 for first access to 2019 UK tour tickets. Fans who have pre-ordered the a

Delivering the brash honesty of rap music, with her unique blend of soul and R&B spirit, Ray BLK weaves between genre boundaries borrowing the elements she requires to reach her goals. “I feel proud when my music connects with people,” says the 23-year-old, real name Rita Ekwere, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Catford, South London. Ray’s first experiences of music came at a very early age, when she recalls dancing to Missy Elliott and Timbaland on MTV Bass at the age of seven “From that age I thought, this is what I want to do,” she recalls. “I remember singing and dancing along to all of it and thinking ‘Oh my god, I'd love to be doing this.’” From the age of ten, Ray was already setting her dream in motion, filling her school notebooks with original song lyrics, prompting teachers to put her on a gifted and talented music programme. Despite her early experiments with music, it wasn’t until her final year of studying English Literature at university that she de