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

The Ends Festival (Lloyd Park Croydon) is almost here! Island Records has some amazing artists performing over the weekend including Damien Marley, Masego, Donae'o, Sneakbo & Miraa May. The Ends Festival 31st May, 1st and 2nd June. Scroll down for Island Records Artist Bio's.. Island Artists 👀👀👀 Damian Marley Damian Marley . The youngest son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley garnered his own place in music history when he became the first ever Reggae artist to win a GRAMMY outside of the Reggae category, taking home an award for Best Urban/Alternative performance for his title single, "Welcome To Jamrock." In addition the acclaimed 2005 breakthrough album, also entitled Welcome To Jamrock, won the GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album. Damian followed Jamrock with the hugely acclaimed album "Distant Relatives", his collaboration with hip hop legend Nas. The album spawned the anthemic single "As We Enter&quo

Following on from MIO's debut EP 'So what do we do now?', the Swedish newcomer drops new visual release, 'Live from the Safehouse' – out today via Island Records. This release finally lays bare the male artist behind the project... each track sees MIO push his vocals to the forefront again, with the familiar fluid and accessible lyrical style that we've come to expect. With a new alternative live version of 'With Love' (lifted from the debut EP So what do we do now?'), alongside a cover of The Weeknd's 'Shameless', it feels like this latest release is just the beginning of something incredible for this rising talent. Plenty of things about this exciting new artist feel like dealing with a mystery, but at the heart of MIO is a multi-disciplined approach as a non- conforming pop artist. MIO was raised in a small town in the north of Sweden and was obsessed with music and everything around it...that journey led to his debut release &#

Hailing from the suburbs of Auckland, 19-year-old artist Bene releases her latest single “Evil Spider”. Off the heels of her breakout alt-pop moment “ Soaked with over 17M global streams, the up and coming singer songwriter is set to come to the UK next month, playing her first London headline show at The Waiting Room on 5 June, and performs at Omeara and Bushstock Festival. Bene today also announces her debut EP is set for release on June 28th.   Bene says of new single, “‘Evil Spider’ is about wanting someone that’s already taken. When writing the song, I didn’t wanna make the lyrics too obviously evil, so I thought I’d turn myself into the spider, making it a lil lighter and making the song revolve around me weaving webs to lure the person, catch ‘em like a spider then reel them in. I remember humming ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ in the studio, which inspired the playful vibe of the song.” Bene has emerged as New Zealand’s artist to watch with her chart-topping hit “ Soaked ,” whi