BBC Sound of 2013
BY İDİL DAMLA BİNGÖL (IE/IV)
Every December since 2003, BBC has announced a list consisting of the 15 most promising new music talents for the coming year. Many winners have become important names in the music industry, like Adele, Ellie Goulding, Keane and Mika. In fact, a lot of talented and famous artists were once ranked in the BBC "Sound Of" list. At the end of 2012, BBC announced the long list of 15 for the Sound of 2013, and on January 4 the name of the winner and the ranked short list of the top 5 were made known. This year's winner is Haim, a band from California in the US.
This week, I'll be your guide to the Sound of 2013. We'll browse through the short list and then look at my favorites from the long list. Hope you find something you like!
First, the short list:
1. Haim: Three sisters aged 21-26, the members of Haim have been making music with their parents since childhood. Singer Danielle toured with Julian Casablancas (The Strokes) as a guitarist; oldest sister Este, the bassist, graduated from UCLA; and the youngest, Alana, who in her words "plays everything else," dropped out of college for the band. Michael Hann of The Guardian describes their music as a mixture of R&B, folk rock and 80s US mainstream pop. Their first single, "Forever," is one of the most blogged songs of the year, and this win is a sign that we'll be hearing the name "Haim" a lot.
My favorite track: "Don't Save Me"
2. AlunaGeorge: Electronic music duo George Reid and Aluna Francis met when George got in contact with Aluna's old band to remix one of their songs. Now, they're making music together and, both at the age of 24, have come in second in the BBC Sound Of. They do bass-inflected pop and are one of the most popular new bands of 2012.
My favorite track: "Put Your Hands"
3. Angel Haze: Raeen Wilson, a rapper and singer from Michigan in the US, is better known as Angel Haze. She has released four mixtapes online, and signed with Republic Records in 2012. She covered Eminem's "Cleaning Out My Closet," released a diss track aimed at Azealia Banks, and has attracted the interest of the music industry.
My favorite track: "New York"
4. Laura Mvula: A soul singer from Birmingham, England, Laura Mvula released her first EP in November 2012. Her debut album will be released in March 2013 by RCA. She graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire and has an angelic voice. If you liked Amy Winehouse, you'll probably like her.
My favorite track: "Green Garden"
5. CHVRCHES: A three-piece electropop band from Glasgow, Scotland, CHVRCHES consists of Iain Cook, Lauren Mayberry and Martin Doherty. Their name is pronounced "churches," and their sound is described as "undeniably sad but also euphoric" by BBC. The band members have a mutual love for Prince and covered his song "I Would Die for You," styled as "I Would Die for V." With the sweet voice of Lauren Mayberry and the band's attention-grabbing sound, I'm sure they will become very famous.
My favorite track: "Mother We Share"
Following are my favorite bands and artists from the long list:
The Weeknd: Canadian Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, is not a rookie anymore. 2012 was his year, and with the completion of his "Trilogy" ("House of Balloons," "Thursday," "Echoes of Silence"), he's now ready for a real album. If you haven't heard of him yet, give him a try.
My favorite track: "The Party & the After Party"
Peace: Peace is an indie-rock band from Birmingham, England, consisting of four guys aged 21-23. They really sound like Foals, so if you like them, you'll like Peace. They play with Tame Impala and The Vaccines.
My favorite track: "Wraith"
Kodaline: An alternative rock band from Dublin, Kodaline released their first EP in September 2012. Their single "All I Want" has received attention from the media and even been featured on well-known TV shows.
My favorite track: "All I Want"
A*M*E: Aminata Kabba, known as A*M*E, is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter. Her debut album will be released by Future Records in 2013. Her first single is a very catchy and energetic pop song called "Play the Game Boy."
My favorite track: "Stacey"