ISLAND RECORDS 2020 ARTISTS TO WATCH

“Ones to Watch” for 2020 from Island Records that includes:

JESSIE REYEZ, EMOTIONAL ORANGES, KESHI, SKIP MARLEY, KIDD KENN, LEYLA BLUE, AND PUBLIC.

FORTHCOMING DEBUT ALBUM DUE MARCH 2020

NOMINATED FOR BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM AT THE 2020 GRAMMY AWARDS
PERFORMED “CRAZY” ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE ON 11/21

CURRENTLY APPLE MUSIC’S UP NEXT ARTIST 

LISTEN TO FAR AWAY HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)
LISTEN TO IMPORTED HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)
LISTEN TO CRAZY HERE (Watch Music Video HERE)

ABOUT JESSIE REYEZ
Toronto based singer-songwriter and rising global superstar Jessie Reyez debuted her RIAA certified-gold single “Imported” with 6LACK this spring, from her highly anticipated forthcoming studio album, slated for 2020 release via FMLY / Island Records. She most recently released a new song titled “Far Away,” which stays true to form with her brutal honesty, raw emotion, intimate lyrics and a voice so achingly pure that the heart-tugging effects of the song are undeniable. A poignant and powerful video through a lover’s lens underscores the harsh and unfortunate injustices being suffered by immigrant families and youth today, touching on controversial political subjects such as border patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and border detention.  “Far Away” was accompanied with evoking visuals that received critical acclaim from the likes of Variety, Rolling Stone, CBS News, Fader, Complex and more.  Last year’s monumental accomplishments included a sold-out 30-date tour, the Fall 2018 release of her second EP, Being Human in Public, which gained wide-spread acclaim from fans and critics alike including New York Times, Variety, Fader, NYLON and more. Her critically acclaimed single “Figures” was officially RIAA certified-gold in the U.S. She also performed her hit single “Apple Juice” at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, where she was nominated for Push Artist of the Year and Video with a Message for her powerful and crucial “Gatekeeper” music video. The young artist also had a slew of collaborations with many notable artists including Eminem, Daniel Caesar, Sam Smith, Lewis Capaldi and Karol G and co-writing credits on Dua Lipa’s hit song “One Kiss” with Calvin Harris and “Promises” with Calvin Harris and Sam Smith.

FOLLOW JESSIE REYEZ
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FORTHCOMING PROJECT DUE MAY 2020

LISTEN TO THE JUICE VOL. I HERE
LISTEN TO THE JUICE VOL. II HERE

ABOUT EMOTIONAL ORANGES
R&B Super Nova and dynamic duo Emotional Oranges have been unanimously lauded everywhere from Complex, Fader, Paper, VIBE, Highsnobiety, and Hypebeast to DJ Zane Lowe of the BBC, MTV, and Beats 1.  EO have established themselves as one of the most exciting new acts without ever even revealing themselves. Not much is known of the Los Angeles-based male/female collective, but it has been speculated that when Adele’s vocal coach and Drake’s engineer met at a bat mitzvah in 2017, the band was instantly born. The ‘The Juice Vol. I’, the beginning of the trilogy of love, lust and heartbreak, took fans into the minds of A&V,  introducing their sonic soulmate status. The group described by critics and fans alike as experimental and futuristic are the physical manifestation of psychedelic, soul and funk. Aside from Michelle Obama, Guy Fieri and Kanye West all publicly championing the band, Emotional Oranges has seen success with their hit song “Motion” (official theme song for RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2018), their sold out shows have tripled in size and they’ve received over 60 million global streams to date. While Emotional Oranges is just getting started, the demand is high – proving to have dominated 2019 with their sights set on 2020, as break out stars. 

FOLLOW EMOTIONAL ORANGES
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DEBUT EP OUT NOVEMBER 22ND 

LISTEN TO “SILENCE” HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)
LISTEN TO “WHAT A SHAME” HERE

ABOUT LEYLA BLUE
When one door closes, Leyla Blue always finds a way to accomplish her dreams– and to share her battle cry of strength and self-confidence. Growing up in New York, the 20-year-old grappled with mental illness and disordered eating and ultimately found escapism in music- everything from Britney Spears to Brandy, Aaliyah and Destiny’s Child–and singing was catharsis. “The reason I got into music in the first place was that it was the thing that told me I wasn’t alone,” she says. “I have to do that for some other lonely 13 year old.” This is apparent in Blue’s first single, “Silence” (released Sept 2019). Inspired by sad, drunk and very real unrequited college romance, the song took four months to complete with producer Pompom and songwriter Jesse Fink, Blue’s sole collaborators. “Our writing sessions are like therapy. We talk for hours and then write something super personal.”

Blue inked a deal with Island Records in early 2019 and her EP,  Songs for boys that didn’t text me back, is due on November 22^nd. The singer promises a deeply personal introduction, steeped in young heartbreak. An ardent supporter of women’s rights and mental health awareness, she believes in telling her story without compromise.. “So many young, female artists end up getting swallowed by the industry– consciously and unconsciously,” she says. By stripping away the facade of perfection, she shows fans the beauty in vulnerability and being yourself. “Only through embracing your sad bitch, do you become a bad bitch,” she concludes. “Own your stuff. It makes you who you are.”

FOLLOW LEYLA BLUE
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FORTHCOMING EP DUE EARLY 2020

LISTEN TO SKELETONS HERE

ABOUT KESHI
keshi (born casey luong) found his muse at age 12 from his grandfather, who possessed a “fat classical guitar” and a music book in vietnamese.  he taught himself to play and developed a deep passion for music, “sitting in front of the computer for hours on end every day and soaking it all up.”  influences ranged from all time low and john mayer to frank ocean, the 1975, drake, and bryson tiller.  meanwhile, keshi was learning production on garageband. after high school, keshi honed a keen sense of empathy and intuition on his job as a registered nurse tending to patients diagnosed with cancer. (over delicate strumming and stark production, “skeletons” shares his “exhaus­tion with my routine as a nurse and wanting some­thing more.”)

in between grueling shifts, he shared an early composition entitled “if you’re not the one for me who is” online.  he entered it into a competition on a joji reddit fan page.  receiving “validation from strangers for the first time,” he continued to share more songs online. “over u” made waves on spotify and generated over 7 million streams, while “just friends” surpassed the 9 million mark. at the same time, he claimed real estate on popular playlists such as low-key and antipop with his breakout ep of 2018, the reaper, “[which] combined classic writing and new production,” he says.  the ep was highlighted by the track “like i need u.” the stage was set for his signing to island records and the arrival of skeletons in the summer 2019.

FOLLOW KESHI
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DEBUT PROJECT DUE SPRING 2020

LISTEN TO “SLOW DOWN” FT. H.E.R. HERE

ABOUT SKIP MARLEY
Skip Marley often speaks in this way—a rare combination of serious and cool. The Jamaica-born, Florida-based artist is mysterious and chill, but deeply connected to his craft and refreshingly self-assured. He’s authentic in a way most musicians these days could never claim to be; when he says he’s never thought about how people perceive him, it’s without any pretense or irony.  His sound follows suit, a reggae-hybrid that effortlessly blends eras, genres, and styles, while showing off Skip’s impeccable musicianship and poetic lyricism. His natural talent comes as no surprise—music’s quite literally in his blood. Skip is the grandson of reggae icon Bob Marley, and his songs pay homage to his deep family legacy.  But Skip’s music is decidedly different, too.

His songs confidently mix an assortment of genres, influences, and instruments while maintaining their reggae roots and important messaging. Though the arrangements and lyrics are often complex, they feel easy and fresh. “Lions,” for example, has heavy alt rock guitar riffs and hip-hop elements, all underscored by a dancehall rhythm. This blending of styles is all part of Skip’s songwriting process, which he would never describe as a process. “I don’t really have a structure,” he says. “Just let it happen freely. There’s no right or wrong, you just know what’s good when you get there.”

FOLLOW SKIP MARLEY
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FORTHCOMING MIXTAPE DUE FEBRUARY 2020

LISTEN TO BOUGIE FELLOW HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)
LISTEN TO BABYSITTER HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)

ABOUT KIDD KENN Individuality induces creativity. Straight out of the gate, Kidd Kenn asserts himself as an individual and advances hip-hop forward in the process. Rocking ever-changing hair color, bold and bright fashion, and an outsized personality, the 16-year-old Chicago rapper flaunts confidence for days, but he backs it up with razor sharp rhymes and hard-hitting hooks. Already pegged as “Chicago’s next teen sensation” by The FADER, signed to Island Records, and streamed over a million times since his independent emergence, the MC encodes a message in his music. “When you hear what I’m doing, I want you to know everything is possible,” he exclaims. “Be yourself. Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you want to do. That’s just something I always did. You can’t get stuck on anything or what anybody says. I learned how to not care about opinions and be myself. You need to feel like that bitch!” Kidd Kenn is gearing up to open for Lupe Fiasco at the Red Bull Music Festival in Chicago at the end of November.

FOLLOW KIDD KENN WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD

JOINING AMERICAN AUTHORS ON
TOUR IN JANUARY 2020

LISTEN TO “MAKE YOU MINE” HERE  (Watch Music Video HERE)

WATCH LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN PERFORMANCE HERE
PUBLIC made their national TV
debut on Live With Kelly and Ryan on November 6th

WATCH FOOTBALL PROPOSAL TIK TOK HERE
This TikTok helped make
“Make You Mine” a viral sensation

ABOUT PUBLIC
PUBLIC is a Rock/Pop band from Cincinnati, Ohio comprised of grade school
friends – John Vaughn (vocals/guitar), Matthew Carter Alvarado
(bass/synth/vocals), and Ben Lapps (percussion). From playing their first show
ever in a high school talent show to touring and performing with well-known
acts such as Twenty One Pilots, Walk the Moon, and The Driver Era (just to name
a few), PUBLIC has quickly grown a loyal fan base thanks to their electrifying
stage presence.  After being picked up by manager Kevin Jonas Sr., the
band debuted their first ever music video on MTV and has been featured in the
likes of Kings of A&R, American Songwriter, Elvis Duran’s Morning Show on
Z100, and Nick Cannon’s Fresh Artist. The track’s viral moment happened on
TikTok when over 2.5
Million videos were made using “Make You Mine” and has since spiked in streaming with over
6 Million streams each week totaling over 50 Million streams to date.
They recently performed their hit “Make You Mine” on Live With Kelly &
Ryan, and have an upcoming performance on Nickelodeon’s ALL THAT! PUBLIC will
be joining American Authors on their US tour in January 2020.

FOLLOW PUBLIC
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