Posts made in July 2021

SEBASTIAN JAVIER — “CRYSTAL BALL”

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Argentina-born and Toronto-based singer, songwriter, and personality Sebastian Javier has returned with his brand new single, “Crystal Ball” (Spanish Version). The track is available to stream and download starting today HERE. Sebastian has also unveiled an Heirmanos-directed official music video for the track. In the cinematic visual, Sebastian stumbles into a new world while trying to discover what the future of his love life holds. Watch it on his official YouTube channel HERE.

On “Crystal Ball” (Spanish Version), soft acoustic guitar underscores Sebastian’s dynamic delivery before a bouncy R&B chorus. “You wish you could tell the future, so you know if she’s going to stay with you or not,” Sebastian shares. “The song directly correlates to my 14-year-old self wishing I knew the future.”

Sebastian Javier recently announced his signing to Elektra Records in an exclusive interview with Billboard, and released “Bad For Me” alongside an official music video. Upon its release, the track received praise from People en Espanol, Sweety High, Univision and more. Last month, he returned with “Mala Para Mi,” a Spanish language version of the track. Watch the song’s music video HERE.

Sebastian’s latest releases present his scorching signature style steeped in both pop and Latin. He adds, “I was making songs that truly felt like they were mine. I could be versatile and show my Argentinian side and my Canadian side. Since I love pop music, I thought, ‘Why can’t we do it in Spanish?’”

Sebastian has all the makings of global pop’s new leading man, and his recent single set the stage for much more new music later this year.

Stay tuned for more from Sebastian Javier soon.

Post Malone × Motley Crew

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GRAMMY® Award-nominated diamond-certified Dallas, TX maverick Post Malone unveils a new track entitled “Motley Crew” today.

Listen to “Motley Crew”—HERE.

It’s his first new original music of the year – the lead track from a companion project to a forthcoming documentary, coming soon. Once again, he delivers the perfect anthem to rage to, living up to the title of “Motley Crew” like only Post can.

Malone also released a video for the track directed by Cole Bennett and co-produced by DreVision Media. Shot at Auto Club Speedway, the video features NASCAR stars Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace. Other notable guest appearances include Big Sean, French Montana, Kerwin Frost, LoveLeo, SAINt JHN, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyga, Pressa, Trinidad James, Tyla Yaweh and Tommy Lee.

Watch Official “Motley Crew” Music Video –HERE.

KANE BROWN × BLACKBEAR — “MEMORY”

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Country superstar Kane Brown and multi-Platinum singer-songwriter-producer blackbear released “Memory” today, their first collaboration as artists and songwriters. You can listen to the song HERE.

Produced by Andrew Goldstein and blackbear, and written by Brown, Matthew Musto (blackbear), Andrew Goldstein, Joe Kirkland and Ernest Smith, “Memory” will officially impact Top 40 radio on Monday, July 12 via RCA Nashville in partnership with RCA Records. The song follows Brown’s 2X Platinum hits “Be Like That” ft. Swae Lee and Khalid and “One Thing Right” with famed DJ Marshmello, which have amassed over 567 million and 1.01 billion on-demand streams worldwide, respectively.

Recently, Brown graced the cover of Billboard’s Country Power Player issue while his collaboration with Chris Young, “Famous Friends” hit No. 1 at country radio this week. This weekend, Brown is set to present at 2021 ESPYS, Saturday, July 10 at 8:00 PM EST on ABC and will take part in the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday, July 11, which will air Monday, July 12 at 10:00 PM EST on ESPN.

Renowned NFT artist Captvart (Cameron Burns), created an original piece for the cover art of “Memory,” using his background in photography and computer-generated astronaut imagery. Additionally known for his work in the music community, Brown is the first country artist collaboration for Captvart.

Directed by ACM and CMT Music Award winner Alex Alvga, the “Memory” music video made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU, CMT and on the ViacomCBS Times Square billboard in New York. You can watch the music video HERE.

Brown recently announced his Blessed & Free Tour, marking the first time a country artist will bring a headlining tour to all 29 NBA Arenas, including New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center which he sold-out in January 2020, one of only 11 country artists to accomplish this. For tickets and more information, click HERE.

Venom #1

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Hot off the heels of VENOM #200 and EXTREME CARNAGE, this October will see the start of one of the most ambitious series in symbiote VENOM #200 and EXTREME CARNAGE history: VENOM #1! Announced last month, Marvel’s resident master of horror, Al Ewing, and titan of terror Ram V have teamed up to craft a mind-bending and gut-wrenching tale of symbiosis the likes of which the Marvel Universe has never seen. Rounding out this symbiote hivemind will be legendary artist Bryan Hitch, bringing his rich and detailed style to the Venomverse. The future of Venom lies in the hands of this mastermind team, and you won’t believe what lies ahead!

“When my editors at Marvel reached out about taking on Venom alongside Al Ewing and Bryan Hitch, I was not prepared for the kind of creative thrill it has been ever since,” Ram V said. “This story is going to expand and push the symbiote narrative and lore in even more unexpected and fantastic directions. It is also an utter thrill having the sort of call and response mechanic I’ve had with a writer like Al and an artist of Bryan’s caliber. Fans and new readers, strap in— you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

Check out Bryan Hitch’s main cover now and pick up VENOM #1 when it hits stands on October 13^th! For more information, visit Marvel.com.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – Jam and Lewis Volume One

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**JIMMY JAM & TERRY LEWIS DEBUT ALBUM JAM & LEWIS VOLUME ONE OUT TODAY!**

Star-Studded Guest List Includes Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Usher & More!

Jam & Lewis Shaped Pop History. They’re Working on Its Future, Too – NEW YORK TIMES

They’ve had more Billboard No 1 hits than any other production and songwriting team (and) co-created the very fabric of the modern R&B landscape. -THE GUARDIAN

The Grammy-Award winning legendary production duo recently turned artists, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis TODAY release their debut album, Jam & Lewis Volume One (BMG). The album boasts star-studded featured guests including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Usher & more (see full track listing below).

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO JAM & LEWIS VOLUME ONE

On the most recent single, Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin’ My Heart), Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis teamed up with the multi-platinum, multiple Grammy award winning, New York Times #1 Best Selling author and global superstar Mariah Carey. Together, they have delivered an anthem punctuated by Carey’s legendary soaring vocals and the pair’s inimitable musicality.

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have had an unprecedented career as producers, with five GRAMMY Awards, over 100 Platinum certifications, and 16 Billboard Hot 100 Number Ones. They’ve worked with legendary artists including Elton John, Lionel Richie, and Patti LaBelle, composed music for TBS and TNT networks’ NBA basketball broadcasts, as well as the theme to the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The duo has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, received an NAACP Image Award, star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and were recently nominated for a Primetime EMMY Award in Outstanding Music Direction.

After 40 years Jam & Lewis are just getting started!

JAM & LEWIS VOLUME ONE TRACK LIST

‘Til I Found You (Ft. Ann Nesby, James Big Jim Wright, Lauren Evans & Sounds Of Blackness)
Spinnin (Ft. Mary J. Blige)
The Next Best Day (Ft. Boyz II Men)
Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin’ My Heart) (Ft. Mariah Carey)
He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It (Ft. Babyface)
Happily Unhappy (Ft. Toni Braxton)
Maybe I’ve Changed (Or Did You) (Ft. Heather Headley)
Do What I Do (Ft. Charlie Wilson)
Do It Yourself (Ft. Usher)
Babylove (Ft. Morris Day, Jerome, & The Roots)

Follow Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis via their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Jordan McGraw Shares New Single She

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Today, pop singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jordan McGraw shares the music video for his new single “SHE”. Watch the music video for “SHE”— HERE via Let’s Get It Records!/Republic Records. Listen to “SHE”—HERE.

Joined by his wife and E! Daily Pop host Morgan Stewart, he nods to Wheel of Fortune with a hilarious homage. Jordan not only takes over Pat Sajak’s spot (in a snazzy suit, no less), but he also plays all three contestants—the goth, the nerd, and the urban cowboy. Meanwhile, Stewart channels Vanna White in a sparkly sequin dress as she uncovers phrases on the famous board. The dynamic husband-and-wife light up the screen!

“SHE” stands out as yet another head-nodding bop from Jordan. Funkified guitar weaves in and out of a slick beat as his voice flutters from hypnotic verses into an unshakable and undeniable hook rife with high-register flare. Painting a vivid picture, he sings, “She likes to talk in her sleep. A simple conversation turning into a scene. She likes to fight in her sleep. An irrational account of an encounter with me.”

Everything paves the way for his first EP—coming very soon. He’s bringing the funk back to pop in 2021!

Making headlines, Jordan also took the stage for a showstopping performance of his hit “HER”on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Watch it HERE. He also sat down with Corden for an interview. Watch it HERE. Jordan also recently played an MTV IG TV Jam Session. Watch it HERE.

The Texas-born and Los Angeles-based pop maverick strikes a singular balance between eighties synth-craft and 21 century unpredictability, yielding a bop suited to any era.

“I’m a nineties kid making eighties music in 2021,” he affirms. “All of my favorite things are from the nineties. At the same time, the eighties were so absurd and overly polished that they were still cool,” he says. “During the process of recording the song, I was chasing my now-wife,” he explains. “While I was on tour, I was trying to figure out how to woo her. It was the perfect storm of the song growing with the actual process of she and I growing into what we are now. Everything worked out naturally.”

Jordan McGraw established himself as an outlier right out of the gate. He went from touring with iconic pop punk bands to generating millions of streams and supporting Jonas Brothers on the record-breaking HAPPINESS BEGINS Tour. Signed to Let’s Get It Records! by Joe Jonas, he arrives with more music in 2021 as he prepares his debut EP for release soon.

Get ready for more from Jordan McGraw!

C.S. ARMSTRONG COVERS “LIMIT TO YOUR LOVE”

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DEEP COVERS 187 MIXTAPE ARRIVING ON 7/14

Emerging as a fascinating and fiery force for R&B, C.S. Armstrong unveils a new cover of “Limit To Your Love” today with a music video. It’s the first single from his Deep Covers 187 mixtape releasing on July 14th. You can listen to the new cover HERE. You can watch the accompanying music video HERE.

C.S. Armstrong brings new life to “Limit To Your Love” which was originally recorded by James Blake and Feist. In his signature rework of the song, Armstrong injects the record with unlimited soul. In the cinematic music video he takes inspiration from the classic film Queen and Slim, continuously reinventing beautiful art with his own unique fashion.

Carving out his niche with cover songs, C.S. Armstrong’s latest renditions include Gnarls Barkely’s “Crazy,” Summer Walker’s “Session 32” and Sade’s “Sweetest Taboo.” Additionally, the modern-day bluesman recently teamed up with none other than Black Thought of The Roots for “Welcome To America” from the Judas and the Black Messiah Soundtrack. Attracting critical praise, The New York Times highlighted Armstrong’s “gritty vocal choruses.”

All of this follows the release of “Own Two” featuring Jay Rock which will be included on his forthcoming major label debut album. Be on the lookout for more from C.S. Armstrong soon.

Born to a single mother in the service with a preacher grandma in his corner, C.S. Armstrong traveled an unbelievable road one step at a time. At 10-years-old, he preached in church as an ordained minister. At 16-years-old, he earned respect in the streets with his fists. At 18-years-old, he enlisted in the military to serve his country. Eight years later, he rolled into New York and lent his voice to one hip-hop banger after another. His instantly recognizable vocals shined on Statik Selektah’s “In The Wind” [feat. Joey Bada$$ & Big K.R.I.T] and Bun B, Prodigy, and Remy Bank’s “Where’s Your Leader.” His voice also coursed through Action Bronson’s tastemaker-approved Billboard Top 200 chart-topping Mr. Wonderful, in addition to joining the star on the road. Settling in Southern California, he powered Book’s “Last Man Standing” for the official Call of Duty: WWII trailer and dropped a pair of critically acclaimed independent projects, namely Truth Be Told [2019] and The Blue Tape [2020]. His voice echoed on Black Thought’s “We Could Be Good (United)” [feat. C.S. Armstrong & OSHUN] from the critical favorite Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cain & Able. Along the way, Dr. Dre became his “uncle,” Republic Records signed him, and he distilled gospel, blues, hip-hop, and rock into a sound as intoxicating and biting as aged whisky. Streamed millions of times and championed by Billboard, A COLORS SHOW, and more, OnesToWatch claimed, “The music is something to grow old with.” Now, he tells the story with no filter on a series of singles for Republic Records.

Brynn Elliot × Can I Be Real

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Singer-songwriter Brynn Elliott has announced today’s release of her new EP. CAN I BE REAL? is available now via Atlantic Records at all DSPs and streaming services HERE. “CAN I BE REAL? explores themes of authenticity, honesty and freedom,” says Elliott, “all the while communicating those core themes of empowerment that I’m always seeking to write into my songs. However, this time around, it all hit closer to home during the writing process. ‘Tell Me I’m Pretty’ was just the tip of the iceberg. In seeking to sing about women finding the freedom to be themselves, I had to ask the question of myself: ‘Am I really being the most authentic and honest version of myself?’ That was not an easy question and it led to the completion of the EP and is now the question I ask myself everyday: Can I Be Real?”

CAN I BE REAL? is highlighted by the EP’s powerfully sincere title track, “Can I Be Real,” available today at all DSPs and streaming services. “Can I Be Real” is joined by an official music video premiering today across a range of MTV platforms, airing at the top of every music hour on MTV LIVE, MTV Biggest Pop, and MTVU. “Can I Be Real” is streaming now at the official Brynn Elliott YouTube channel HERE.

Elliott will celebrate CAN I BE REAL? with a series of upcoming US live dates. Next week will see Elliott performing CAN I BE REAL? in its entirety for the first time ever as part of “The Can I Be Real Livestream Moment,” an exclusive global livestream concert event with the premium digital live platform Moment House. Set for Thursday, July 15 at 6 pm (PST)/9 pm (EST), the ticketed event marks the Los Angeles-based artist’s first full band live show in over a year as well as her long awaited return to her home city’s iconic Troubadour – the last venue she played before the global pandemic. For tickets click HERE.

The Can I Be Real Tour begins September 13 at Washington, DC’s Union Stage and then makes stops in major markets across the country through early October. For complete details and ticket information, please visit Brynn’s website.

IDTechEx Shares Unexpected Trends in Electric Vehicle Data

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Unexpected Trends from IDTechEx’s EV Data & Tools Portfolio

2021 is cementing the electric car’s dominant position in the future of the auto industry as OEMs have increased electrification targets, announced more battery-electric models, and planned new technology adoption strategies. To properly understand these trends, granular, high-quality data is essential. IDTechEx’s portfolio of electric cars and powertrain materials research is driven by data, and includes two new spreadsheet-based products: Electric Car Sales, Models & Technologies Database and Scenario Forecasting: Materials for Battery Cells and Packs. Both underpin two IDTechEx research reports Advanced Electric Cars 2020-2040 and Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs 2021-2031, and form part of a wider portfolio which can be found at IDTechEx’s website.

IDTechEx’s New Electric Vehicle Model Database

IDTechEx’s extensive Electric Car Sales, Models & Technologies Database is spreadsheet-based and covers unit sales for popular BEV and PHEV cars in China, Europe, and the US between 2015–2020 (containing data on 145 distinct models plus variants). Alongside sales data, IDTechEx also reveals battery capacity, cell format, battery supplier, cell chemistry, cell and pack energy density, thermal management method, motor technology and power output. The granular nature of the data, split by model, enables technology trends to be analyzed in detail in addition to an industry-level overview.

Considering battery chemistry, it is well known that manufacturers have been trending towards higher nickel content cathodes such as the 811 variant of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC). Perhaps less expected is the significant resurgence in lithium-iron-phosphate, or ‘LFP’, batteries. The lower energy density of LFP batteries saw them fall out of favor with Chinese policymakers and rapidly lose market share up to 2019, but in the past year, BYD announced the Blade with LFP prismatic cells and Tesla introduced the Chinese manufactured Model 3 with LFP. The trade-off comes down to price, raw materials, safety, and supply-chain dynamics with regional specificities.

Moreover, the Electric Car Sales, Models & Technologies Database also looks at electric traction motor trends. Many have voiced concerns around the supply of rare earths for the magnetic materials used in most electric car traction motors. However, China controls the majority of the world’s rare earth supply chain, creating risk and potential price volatility. The database reveals the quiet adoption of non-permanent magnet-based variants – induction motors and separately excited wound-rotor motors – which are still being introduced in new models and may become essential technologies if permanent magnet prices spike.

This database underpins IDTechEx’s research on Advanced Electric Cars, which is further summarized in a report covering regional detail, powertrain technologies, and autonomous vehicles.

Example charts obtainable through the IDTechEx Electric Car Sales, Models & Technologies Database

Materials for Electric Car Battery Cells & Packs

Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles present very different material demands at the cell- and pack-level compared with the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles they replace. Whilst ICE drivetrains heavily rely on aluminum and steel alloys, Li-ion batteries also utilize many other materials such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, copper, insulation, thermal interface materials, and much more at a cell- and pack level. The IDTechEx report on Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs 2021-2031 identifies and analyzes trends in the design of EV battery cells and battery packs in order to evaluate the materials used for their assembly and production. The report also provides granular market forecasts for over 20 key material categories in terms of demand in tonnes in addition to market value.

To complement this research, IDTechEx’s new Scenario Forecasting Spreadsheet: Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs provides quantitative forecasts and assumptions in greater depth, and allows EV forecasts to be customized based on different scenarios. This is a spreadsheet-based tool that lists IDTechEx’s assumptions for several material intensities at a cell- and pack-level for BEV and PHEV batteries in the car market. It also provides a forecast for the multi-metal and other materials demand in tonnes from 2021-2031. In addition to these forecasts, this tool allows you to use your own forecasts for BEV and PHEV unit sales and battery capacities to see how these variables impact demand over the next 10 years. A scenarios tool is also included which allows for several sales forecasts to be compared simultaneously for individual materials.

Examples for the material demand for battery cells and packs segmented by material. Source: Scenario Forecasting Spreadsheet: Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs

IDTechEx Electric Vehicle Research

For more information on the portfolio of data available on this topic, please visit their website. This research forms part of the broader electric vehicle and energy storage portfolio from IDTechEx, who track the adoption of electric vehicles, battery trends, and demand across land, sea and air, helping you navigate whatever may be ahead. Find out more at their website.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, visit IDTechEx’s website.

SOPHIE POWERS × KELLIN QUINN — “1 THING”

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Rising teen pop-rocker Sophie Powers has teamed up with Sleeping With Sirens’ Kellin Quinn for her sophomore single “1 Thing” available to stream today via Set Records, HERE.

“Sometimes you just need 1 thing or person to get through everything else,” Powers shares on today’s release. “As someone with mental health struggles, my mom was that 1 person and music was that 1 thing for me. The song has a fast-paced rhythm and is meant to portray melodically, and lyrically how I feel during a panic/anxiety attack. It’s not until the chorus when my mom or my favorite playlist is there, that I feel comfortable. That 1 real thing is really all I—and I’m sure many kids my age—need in a time where things like social media, friendships, the internet and more is unreal.”

On teaming up with the young songwriter, Quinn shares, “I had a blast writing with Sophie Powers—I think she’s an amazing talent a powerhouse! I hope you enjoy the song we did together!”

“1 Thing” follows up Sophie’s debut single, “Lonely Army,” which tackles the feeling of widespread loneliness that so many of us experienced during 2020’s seemingly endless lockdown, featuring powerful vocals that seem much more mature than Powers’ mere 16 years old. The first thing the listener notices is how strong her voice sounds against a single electric guitar riff. “Can you hear the feelings of the lonely?” she sings, describing a world that feels hopeless and stifling. Family is demanding and friends are unreliable.

At just 16 years old, Sophie Powers is the bold voice of a new generation. She understands the unique pressures of modern girlhood and uses her experience to write unfiltered, devil-may-care anthems about the ups and downs of being yourself. One minute she’s confident and cool, with the sneering attitude of a punk rock front-woman, and the next she’s vulnerable and raw, channeling the loneliness of contemporary life in a stirring ballad.

In the midst of quarantine, she decamped to Los Angeles, living away from her parents for the first time in her life with a group of musicians. “In Toronto, I had my parents and friends constantly giving input and telling me what they think about my life. But in L.A. I was left alone with my thoughts. It got quiet.”

In that quiet, she understood her real goal: to express herself honestly. “Music was my outlet during some really dark times,” Powers says. “If I can be that outlet and help other kids navigate what I went through, that’s all I want as an artist.”

Combining the crunchy sound of punk with today’s hip-hop and pop, Sophie Powers is the unfiltered and uncompromising voice of a new generation.