APPOINTMENTS
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Bishi has been newly elected to the board of the UK’s Featured Artists Coalition. She replaces Dilys Uwagboe (aka Eckoes), who has stepped down after four years. Brix Smith, David Rowntree, John Robb and Marcus O’Dair were all re-elected. “Growing up in community art spaces, I understand the impact of artists standing together”, says Bishi. “I would like to take this opportunity with the FAC to further that commitment and learn more about the changing needs of artists today”.
RELEASES
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Dua Lipa has released an extended mix of her recent single ‘Houdini’. “When I was in the studio working on ‘Houdini’ with my collaborators, we always had this dream of releasing a clubby, house mix of the record”, she says. “The song was already the perfect soundtrack to a sweaty night out, but the new third verse just takes it to a whole new level. We’re putting it out into the world a little earlier than expected, but the fans just couldn’t wait! Think of it as an early holiday gift from me to you”.
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Holly Humberstone has released a new version of her song ‘Into Your Room’ featuring MUNA. “I’m obsessed with MUNA and have been wanting to work with them for ages, I’m so thankful that I finally get to have them bring their magic to one of my songs”, she says.
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Yard Act have released new single ‘Petroleum’. “I lost it with the crowd in Bognor Regis and told them I was bored and I didn’t want to be there”, says frontman James Smith of the inspiration for the song. “Me and Ryan [Needham, bassist] had a row after and Ryan rightly dressed me down for the way I acted. It got me pondering the idea that, now this is a job, what are the requirements of it? People think they want honesty but they don’t, they want me to portray the version of honesty that they've paid to see and that’s part of the illusion”.
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Anna Calvi will release her scores for the fifth and sixth series of ‘Peaky Blinders’ on 26 Jan. Out now is the track ‘Black Tuesday’. “Composing for ‘Peaky Blinders’ was about atmosphere and space”, she says. “There’s so much nuance when it comes to scoring to picture. It’s more about what you leave out than what you leave in. I had to let the voice of the actors do the talking but find ways of bringing out the emotion within that. I became completely obsessed with Tommy Shelby, I dreamt about him every night whilst I was working on the scores, I had to really inhabit the show”.
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Alkaline Trio have released new single ‘Bad Time’. “‘Bad Time' was initially inspired by a friend and crush who happened to call me while I was on tour in El Paso, Texas as an active shooter situation was happening just across from where we were staying”, says frontman Matt Skiba. “We could hear gunshots and sirens as the situation escalated. My friend asked if it was a bad time to talk, and I said no - I really wanted to speak with her. It was actually a terrible and terrifying time, but it was never a bad time to hear her voice”. The band’s new album ‘Blood, Hair And Eyeballs’ is out on 26 Jan.
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Genesis Owusu has released new single ‘Survivor’, which has been added to the tracklist of his latest album ‘Struggler’ on streaming services. Speaking about the track, he says: “The story never ends, the roach keeps roaching. Through space, time, fire and brimstone”.
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Hello squirrels! Isn’t it time for… Hey Duggee’s Christmas single? Featuring vocals from Alexander Armstrong, Beardyman and the BBC Singers, the new song from the Children’s BBC show ‘Hey Duggee Deck The Halls’ is out now. “It’s been a huge honour to be involved in this”, says Beardyman. “Totally surreal and wonderful to be invited to be part of the funniest cartoon on TV. Everybody loves Duggee, and I will cherish the Christmas jumper I wore during the recording session for the rest of my life”.
AWARDS
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Imagine Dragons have received a Hall Of Fame award from US collecting society SoundExchange. “Imagine Dragons is one of those bands that you know will be around a long time”, says CEO Michael Huppe. “Since their 2012 debut, they’ve churned out hit songs like ‘Radioactive’, ‘Demons’ and ‘Believer’ that continue to influence their genre. SoundExchange is happy to recognise Imagine Dragons as Hall Of Fame artists for their enduring creativity and popularity”.