Natanya may only be 21 years old, but she expresses the essence of her artistry with no hesitation: “I produce on everything, I write everything and I don’t subscribe to genre”. Shortly after winning the Best New Artist award at the 2023 GUAP Gala last month, the North London producer, singer-songwriter and instrumentalist laid her soul bare on her debut EP Sorrow At Sunrise, an introduction to how her mind paints “real-life stories frozen in time”. Through distinctive phrasing, poetic lyricism and layers of experimental production, Natanya is setting herself apart as a compelling presence in the music scene.

With her latest single ‘Waste My Time’ taking TikTok by storm, Essosa has officially become everyone’s “new favourite pop/R&B girlie”. Within just two weeks of the release, not only did the British-Canadian-Nigerian singer-songwriter and dancer surpass 1 million streams for the first time, she also gained co-signs from artists such as Kaytranada and FLO. But while virality has never been her focus, all the love that the 22 year old has been receiving on the 90s-inspired track comes as “a huge relief” as it confirms that music is truly her calling.

When it comes to her artistry, Baby Rose trusts that committing herself to honesty and innovation will birth timeless music, and that’s certainly what her new album Through and Through is. Having already distinguished herself through her signature smoky vocals and poetic vulnerability on her debut album To Myself (2019), the 28-year-old is continuing to carve out her own lane with her latest project. Recorded between LA, Atlanta and Nashville, the 11-track LP embodies that fact that Rose doesn't write music to fit into a box.

Extract: "Given its potential to contribute to our wellness and growth, intentional solitude is something that we should all engage in. However, since social interaction also plays a vital role in our emotional and physical wellbeing, we can easily enter into a negative space if we don’t have a personal understanding of how we function at our best and at our worst in solitude."// This piece is a part of the second print edition of SISTAH ZINE, a media platform dedicated to women's liberation. (sistahzine.bigcartel.com)

By exploring heritage and the freedom of fantasy, Chloe Bodur’s new EP, RÜYA, is a sensual serenade.

Proudly hailing from Bahia, Brazil’s rising alt-r&b star Juniper is translating her journal entries into music that touch the soul.

Latanya Alberto is slowly but surely establishing herself as a creative force delivering stories of real depth through her music.

Stress kills creativity. Research shows that when our stress feels uncontrollable, it negatively affects how we perform creatively. According to Mind UK, while stress isn’t normally considered to be a mental health problem, it can be both a cause and a product of poor mental health. So, given that PoCs are “at higher risk of developing a mental health problem in adulthood but are less likely to receive support for their mental health”, stress management needs to be a priority for PoCs navigating the creative industries.

Extract: "Mind also identified a lack of support as a key factor making students particularly vulnerable to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. We need a culture of consciousness and care for those within our community, who may otherwise suffer alone." // This piece is a part of Co-op's inaugural issue of The Lookout, a student safety magazine written for students by students (made available online and in print in nearly 300 stores nationwide).

Extract: "In viewing the mind as a reimagined definition of "home”, identifying that emotional (dis)comfort can arise from smell-evoked memories definitely plays a role in understanding this personal space."// This piece is a part of the first print edition of SISTAH ZINE, a media platform dedicated to women's liberation. (sistahzine.bigcartel.com)

The backlash that resulted from the comparison of Snoh Aalegra to Sade on Twitter highlights a lack of understanding of the relationship between inspiration and artistic individuality.

For VICE UK, I spoke to five university students about their opinions and experiences as one of the few Black people on their courses in the arts and humanities.

Over an oat milk hot chocolate in East London, anaiis engages in a raw discussion that moves from her music to our society, reflections, realisations, and more. Indicative of her individuality, the absence of romantic love in anaiis’ music and her exploration of abstract themes led to a conservation that uncovers more about the identity and philosophies of the Toulouse-born, London-based singer-songwriter.