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TYLA Heats Up Summer with New Single and Video “IS IT,” Directed by Aerin Moreno

Eric Alper
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TYLA Heats Up Summer with New Single and Video “IS IT,” Directed by Aerin Moreno

After teasing fans with her new single via social media, TYLA is adding fuel to the fire of summer with the release of her highly anticipated new single and music video, “IS IT,” available now.

The new record welcomes TYLA’s audience back to the epicenter of the dance floor as she gears up for a #WEWANNAPARTY summer. “IS IT” is produced by Sammy Soso and its music video is directed by Aerin Moreno.

TYLA’s penchant for innovation driven by her native genre, Amapiano, is on full display on “IS IT,” a sultry dance cut laced with vivacious temptation. “Is it wrong that I want to get right with you?” she sings, maintaining intense eye contact with viewers. TYLA’s airtight dance routines became the stuff of legend after fans around the world tried to emulate the magic of hits like “Water” and “Push 2 Start,” and “IS IT” is primed to add another feather to that cap.

Moreno, the visionary behind TYLA’s banner “Push 2 Start” video, reprises her role on “IS IT,” directing a multi-dimensional party experience. TYLA goes from mesmerizing the viewer with her own choreography, to an intimate routine with her male counterpart, to being submerged in a rambunctious club setting – all without leaving the room. “I’m excited to see this new version of me and hear what it sounds like and just have fun with it – just bring back fun in music,” she told NYLON.

TYLA’s return to the spotlight has already been filled with highlights. A buzzworthy top half of the year included scene-stealing moments at the Met Gala, Coachella, Governors Ball and Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards, which she hosted, as well as a handful of high-profile brand collaborations, including Pandora and Erewhon. The latest of those collaborations, with Coca-Cola, features “Bliss” as the soundtrack to the world-famous soft drink brand’s “Road Trip” commercial spot, which began airing in June.

As summer heated up, so did TYLA. She performed for a record-breaking crowd of 55,000 at Poland’s world-renowned Open’er Festival and announced her headlining appearance at Barbados’s Tipsy Music Festival this month – a testament to her global stardom. Hollywood isn’t immune to the TYLA effect either; the hitmaker contributed an all-new record, “Everything Goes Blue,” to the official soundtrack to Smurfs in June. The animated film, voiced by stars like Rihanna and James Corden hits theaters this month.

1Ski OG Drops High-Energy Dancehall Anthem “Bounce”

Eric Alper
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1Ski OG Drops High-Energy Dancehall Anthem “Bounce”

Fresh off a wave of back-to-back releases, Jamaican dancehall star 1Ski OG keeps the heat coming with his latest single, “Bounce,” out today via Against Da Grain/Epic Records. A high-energy, feel-good anthem made for summer streets and dance floors alike, the track arrives with an accompanying visual to match its explosive vibe.

Following the introspective grit of “Stay To Mi Self” and the dual release of “Double Life” and “Feel Like,” “Bounce” flips the switch with vibrant, unapologetic energy that stays rooted in raw dancehall tradition. From the jump, the track explodes with rhythm and attitude, built to make bodies move and speakers knock. Anchored by a hypnotic hook – “Bounce, bounce, bounce” – and fueled by lines like “gyal a whine har waist and a mek di batty bounce,” the record is pure fire destined to echo from car speakers, club sets, and street dances all summer long.

“Dis one fi di gyal dem, fi di streets, fi di real dancehall energy. We bring di vibes every time. If yuh nah bounce, yuh nah inna it.” says 1Ski OG.

With each release, 1Ski OG continues to expand his range while staying grounded in the sound that built him, blending classic dancehall with bold, genre-bending energy. His latest drop, “Bounce,” is another major step in what’s shaping up to be a defining year for the rising star, and a celebration of the key movement and sound that makes dancehall a global force.

BLACKPINK Return with New Single “JUMP” and Launch Massive World Tour After Nearly Three-Year Hiatus

Eric Alper
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BLACKPINK Return with New Single “JUMP” and Launch Massive World Tour After Nearly Three-Year Hiatus

Global K-Pop phenoms BLACKPINK have returned after a nearly three-year group hiatus, with the release of their new digital single “JUMP.” The track was first unveiled during the kickoff of the BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR in South Korea last weekend – immediately sending shockwaves amongst fans worldwide. Over the past three years, the members of BLACKPINK embarked on solo projects that expanded their musical horizons and are now making their triumphant return as a group, reclaiming their status as global leaders in music.

Written by heavy-hitters TEDDY, Diplo, 24, Zikai, Claudia Valentina, Jumpa, Malachiii, Jesse Bluu and produced by Diplo, 24, Boaz Van De Beatz , Zecca, Ape Drums, “JUMP” marks BLACKPINK’s bold foray into the Hardstyle genre. The track opens with a striking guitar riff that evokes the feel of a Western film, setting a vivid, cinematic tone. Fueled by powerful beats, an unpredictable hook, and expressive vocal lines that showcase each member’s unique character – the song delivers an intense, addictive energy that instantly gets pulses racing. Blending BLACKPINK’s signature style with fearless experimentation, ‘JUMP’ broadens the group’s musical range in a way that is both fresh yet familiar.

After kicking off ‘BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR in Goyang, South Korea last week, BLACKPINK are set to continue their world tour with 31 shows across 16 cities. The K-Pop phenoms will touch down in Los Angeles this weekend for a two night engagement at SoFi Stadium before heading to major North American markets including Chicago, Toronto and another two-night engagement at Citi Field in New York. The tour will then continue overseas throughout the summer and fall, making stops in France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore,Japan and Hong Kong.

Haerts Announce New Album ‘Laguna Road,’ Share First Single “Women on the Line” Featuring Jenn Wasner

Eric Alper
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Haerts Announce New Album ‘Laguna Road,’ Share First Single “Women on the Line” Featuring Jenn Wasner

Indie pop duo Haerts, return with the announcement of their fourth album Laguna Road, which will be released October 3rd. Thematically, the album frames a confessional portrait of family, memory, and the sacred mess of growing a family together.

Along with the album announcement, they released the first piano ballad “Women on the Line” with Jenn Wasner of Flock of Dimes. The quietly powerful, heart-on-the sleeve lyrics in “Woman on the Line”: So don’t you tell me to be happy. I’m just a woman on the line. And don’t you tell me not to lose it. How could this be the best of times…are accompanied by a heart-stirring composition.

The duo, composed of Nini Fabi and Benny Gebert, wrote and recorded the album at home on Laguna Road, in the in-between spaces of everyday family life. They left the house in early 2025, having completed the album, to return to New York.

About “Women on the Line”, Nini Fabi explains: “The song is about taking ownership of my story and the choices that shaped me as a woman. It’s about the distance between how things look and how they feel-the pressure to keep it together while inside your world is coming apart.

“It’s about isolation, acceptance, and the fragile nature of truth, and it came from a moment when I let it all fall apart.”

“Laguna Road is about looking back, a “piecing it together'” album. Sonically we moved away from what we had done on our previous records. We wanted this album to feel raw and vulnerable. The songs move slowly and we leaned into that with a light hand on production.” adds Benny Gebert.

Nini Fabi explains: “I was sitting on the steps at Laguna Road, the house we had just moved into with our daughter. On paper, I had everything: a beautiful family, a home with the lemon tree, the hummingbirds, and the piano in the living room. But I was numb, isolated, and anxious in a way that felt permanent. I was at the edge of my thirties and on the verge of some kind of breakdown, and I kept asking myself how I had ended up here.”

In the coming months, more singles will be shared leading up to the full Laguna Road album release on October 3rd.

Sugaray Rayford Drops Funky, Soulful New Single “How The Other Half Lives” Ahead of Summer Tour

Eric Alper
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Sugaray Rayford Drops Funky, Soulful New Single “How The Other Half Lives” Ahead of Summer Tour

Sugaray Rayford is a man with a message, a larger-than-life personality, and a voice to deliver it. Working with producer and songwriter Eric Corne, the soul-blues powerhouse has crafted an incendiary sound and narrative, contributing to an exciting new chapter in American soul music. 

His newest single, “How The Other Half Lives,” is an upbeat funk-infused brand of Texas soul-blues about walking in another’s shoes and rolling with the punches to get through turbulent times. The song was written by producer Eric Corne, who also adds harmonica to an arrangement that includes punchy brass and a syncopated Stevie Wonder-style clavinet keyboard. 

The pair’s first collaboration, Somebody Save Me, earned Rayford a 2020 Grammy nomination. Later that year, he won Blues Music Awards for ‘Soul Blues Male Artist’ and ‘B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.’ Rayford’s follow-up, 2022’s In Too Deep, won many awards, including the Blues Music Award for ‘Soul Blues Album of the Year’. 

In 2024, Rayford released Human Decency, an album Blues Music Magazine called “masterful modern soul at its finest.” Living Blues described Rayford’s performance as having “the Sinatra-esque touch of telling a story” while noting Corne’s arrangements “tie it all together in near perfection.” And All Music raved that “His discipline as a singer is unimpeachable, and his willingness to take chances with phrasing and range are exhilarating.” 

Rayford has a busy summer tour season with a slew of dates across The United States and Europe. 

At his core, Sugaray Rayford is a unifying force. His live shows are a party. Some conversations may be had, and some self-reflection may occur, but ultimately, people feel a sense of joy and togetherness, which shines through in the music.

After finding some early success with the award-winning group The Mannish Boys, Rayford struck out on his own with Blind Alley. In 2017, The World That We Live In helped Rayford break through to the upper echelon of the blues world while also informing the soul community that he had arrived. Since joining Forty Below Records, Rayford’s sound has continued to evolve in compelling ways.

Born in Tyler, Texas, Sugaray Rayford’s early years were full of turmoil. His mother struggled to raise three boys alone while battling cancer. “She suffered, and we suffered,’ Rayford says. “Then, we moved in with my grandmother, and our lives improved. We ate every day and went to church daily, which I loved. I was raised on Gospel and soul.” 

Rayford began his musical career at the tender age of seven, singing and playing drums in church, and his Gospel influences shine through in his music. The soulful rasp and expressive vocal style hint at his first-hand experience with hardship and a childhood marked by poverty and loss. As an African American youth growing up in poverty, Rayford saw the military as a path out, serving ten years in the Marines. Today, he is as comfortable using his voice to deliver songs with a message as he is singing about love. “I believe in social justice and want that to be a focus in the music, but I also like to have a good time. The light and the shade, baby!” says Rayford.

“Think back to, say, the golden days of Chess Records and people like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters; then factor in the sound of classic soul men like Solomon Burke, Curtis Mayfield, and big-voiced icons like Teddy Pendergrass, and you’re getting close to Rayford’s sound. Float that over authentic soul backing like Daptone and Stax, and you’re getting near to the sound of Somebody Save Me.'” – Soul, Jazz, and Funk.

“Eric and I are both lifelong fans of classic soul and blues, but we also like to push the envelope,” states Rayford. “We want to build on the music, not be a pastiche of classic styles,” adds Corne.

Tour Dates:

July 10    Bilbo    Spain    Azkena
July 11    Béjar    Spain    Blues Béjar Festival 2025
July 12    Barakaldo    Spain    Arrasate Blues Festival
July 13    Puente Viesgo    Spain    OriginARTE Festival
July 18    Seattle    WA    KNKX Studios
July 19    Winthrop    WA    Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival 2025
July 20    Seattle    WA    Triple Door
July 25    Prairie du Chien    WI    Prairie Dog Blues Festival Praire Du Chien 2025
July 26    Waterville    OH    Blues, Brews & Brats 2025
July 30    Lincoln    NE    Zoo Bar
July 31    Sioux City    IA    Vangarde Arts
August 1    Kansas City    MO    Knuckleheads
August 2    Omaha    NE    North Omaha Music And Arts
August 3    Burlington    IA    The Washington
August 6    Nashville    TN    City Winery Nashville
August 7    Edwardsville    IL    Wildey Theatre
August 8    Berwyn    IL    Fitzgerald’s
August 9    Duluth    MN    Bayfront Blues Festival
August 11    Lakewood    OH    The Winchester
August 13    New York    NY    Groove
August 14    Ridgefield    CT    Ballard Park
August 16    Woonsocket    RI    Chan’s
August 17    Thornton    NH    White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues Festival 2025
August 21    Morristown    NJ    The Laundromat
August 22    Tuckerton    NJ    Lizzie Rose Music Room
August 23    New Rochelle    NY    Ruby Dee Park
September 4    Las Vegas    NV    Big Blues Bender 2025
October 3    Roanoke    VA    Jefferson Center
November 8    New Britain    CT    Connecticut Rhythm & Blues Festival 2025

Steve Burns Gets Candid About Depression, Rumors, and Reconnecting with His Soul on Soul Boom Podcast

Eric Alper
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Steve Burns Gets Candid About Depression, Rumors, and Reconnecting with His Soul on Soul Boom Podcast

Steve Burns—yes, that Steve from Blue’s Clues—sat down with Rainn Wilson and opened his heart. Depression, rumors, masculinity, and the magic of music and stillness. He’s still finding clues—just different ones now.

Sam Edelston Shreds Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” on Electric Dulcimers—and It Absolutely Slays

Eric Alper
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Sam Edelston Shreds Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” on Electric Dulcimers—and It Absolutely Slays

What happens when you give “Iron Man” to a dulcimer wizard? Sam Edelston turns the Black Sabbath classic into a face-melting tribute with strings and soul. Even Tony Iommi would raise a devil horn.

Joshua Woo Channels Metallica for a Wild “Personal Jesus” Cover You Have to Hear to Believe

Eric Alper
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Joshua Woo Channels Metallica for a Wild “Personal Jesus” Cover You Have to Hear to Believe

Ever wonder what Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” would sound like if Metallica covered it? Musician Joshua Woo did—and nailed it. He channels James Hetfield so perfectly, it’s spooky. Someone call Lars.

Kyle Hollingsworth Shares Scenic New Single “Colorado” Ahead of Solo Album All We Are, Out August 1

Eric Alper
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Kyle Hollingsworth Shares Scenic New Single “Colorado” Ahead of Solo Album All We Are, Out August 1

Singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and brewmaster Kyle Hollingsworth is thrilled to share “Colorado,” the second single from his forthcoming solo album All We Are, set for release on August 1, 2025 via SCI Fidelity Records–Pre-save the new project now. 

Over four and a half minutes, the track unfolds with the expansiveness of an endless clear blue sky and the rolling, vast Rocky Mountains. With full, rich instrumentation, Hollingsworth takes a moment to appreciate his surroundings on a sunny day, from vibrant green trees to crisp Colorado air to the abundant wildflowers. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Hollingsworth shares: “I spend a lot of time in the high country, so all the images come from above 9,000 feet. From the fall colors to the sparkling snow and spring flowers, these mountains fill my spirit.”

All We Are marks a bold new chapter in a career long defined by creative risk-taking. Across more than 20 years, seven solo albums, and over three decades with The String Cheese Incident, Hollingsworth continues to evolve, delivering a sound that feels both fresh and unexpected.

“Colorado” follows the release of the title track, “All We Are,” a shimmering, alt-rock-leaning single that trades extended solos for song-focused structure and lyrical introspection, yet remains undeniably funky in true Kyle fashion.  

Alongside the new album, Hollingsworth has teamed up with 4 Hands Brewing Company (St. Louis, MO) to craft the perfect beer pairing to complement the music. Look for the collaboration beer this fall in the Midwest near Kyle Hollingsworth Band tour dates at select retailers and taps.  

In support of the new album, the Kyle Hollingsworth Band will play a number of dates throughout Colorado, the Northeast and the Midwest. Including a fun-filled album release party at Kyle’s iconic beer festival, Kyle’s Brew Fest, hosted at Wibby Brewing Co in Longmont, CO, on September 6. On sale now, Kyle’s Brew Fest will feature beer collaborations, beer sampling from numerous breweries, special guest musicians, exciting activities and more at Kyle’s favorite event of the year. Grab tickets at kylehollingsworth.com and connect with Hollingsworth on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band on Tour

July 26 – Crafts Cocktails & Corks – Winter Park, CO

Sept 06 – Kyle’s Brew Fest at Wibby Brewing Co. – Longmont, CO

Sept 18 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY*

Sept 19 – StageOne at FTC – Fairfield, CT*

Sept 20 – Sherman Stage at Renegade Winery – Stroudsburg, PA* 

Sept 21 – Annapolis Baygrass Festival – Annapolis, MD

Oct 24 – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI^

Oct 25 – Howlin’ At The Moon – Naperville, IL+ 

Oct 26 – Riverside Theater (outdoors) – Milwaukee, WI#

*w/ The Jauntee

^w/ Neighbor

+w/ Family Groove Company

Ethan Tucker Teams with Sean The Shaman for Gritty New Single and Video “Bad Man”

Eric Alper
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0
Ethan Tucker Teams with Sean The Shaman for Gritty New Single and Video “Bad Man”

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Ethan Tucker returns to the fray this week with the release of “Bad Man,” a fearless and timely new single and video featuring emcee, spoken-word artist, DJ, and activist Sean The Shaman. Out via High Point Music and Symphonic Distribution today, the soul-rooted track and its accompanying video, filmed on the streets of Seattle, offer a disarmingly honest viewpoint—where violence, injustice, and constant media noise take a toll on our mental state and collective spirit. Listen to the song HERE.

Tucker tapped GRAMMY-winning producer Mario Caldato Jr., known for his work with the Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson, and Manu Chao, and multi-genre guitarist/producer Dru DeCaro, whose accolades include Top 40 artists like Miguel and MGK, to create “Bad Man.” The track was inspired by a dark recurring dream Tucker experienced that reflected the violence that many face in neighborhoods all over the world to this day.

“We’re all dealing with so much—violence on the news, injustice everywhere, and this nonstop wave of media that messes with your head. ‘Bad Man’ is about not losing yourself in all that. It’s about staying grounded even when you want to run.” – Ethan Tucker

The new song delivers a bold statement of the times, laden with bluesy rock grit, reggae rhythm, and conscious lyricism. Tucker’s signature raw vocals set the tone as Sean The Shaman delivers undeniably powerful bars and thought-provoking lyrics that don’t miss: “And though I’m no stranger to the laughter / The pain came first, the laughs after.

“Bad Man” is the second single released by Tucker this year—following the February 2025 release of “Fly Back Home.” Also this year, Netflix’s hit series Ransom Canyon featured his song “High Time” from his debut album Misunderstood in its official soundtrack (Season 1, Episode 3). “Bad Man” sets the stage for Tucker’s forthcoming album, set to be released in early 2026.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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