A chart might look like a dull list of music rankings, but add some live buzz and the music comes alive!
One idea to put more fizz into your life is to visit the upcoming ESNS Festival in Groningen in January. It’s an opportunity to meet the charting artists in the flesh and to check out the live buzz. This months’ highest new entry in the Music Moves Europe Talent Artist chart at #50 will perform in Groningen. We’re talking about Lous & The Yazuka, the Belgian R’n’B/pop project of Marie-Pierra Kakoma. She was born in Congo and grew up in Rwanda until she moved to Belgium and was discovered in Brussels. Her debut single Dilemme (Sony) is now crossing over to France, Italy and even Scandinavia – a rare feat for a song which is sung in French.
Also new in the chart at #80 and performing in Groningen is Norwegian pop talent Emma Steinbakken. She is in her last year finishing school, but also gaining airplay in Germany with her single Not Gonna Cry (Sony). Other charting artists at the line-up of the ESNS festival are Belgian R’n’B singer Charlotte Adigéry (#24), Irish rock band Inhaler (#26), British indie rock live sensation Squid (#41), and upcoming British rock band Sorry (#59). Some formerly charting acts who are nominated for the Europe Moves Talent Awards 2020 are performing in Groningen as well: Italian dance outfit Meduza, Dutch pop/R’n’B singer Naaz and German singer-songwriter AU/RA.
Two other new entries this month. At #76 Swedish pop singer Nea comes in on the strength of her success in Scandinavia and Poland with Some Say (Sony), a song which is loosely based on the 1998 smash I’m Blue (Da-Ba-Dee) by Italian euro-dance outfit Eiffel 65. Funny coincidence is that Eiffel 65 member Gabry Ponte is currently teaming up with Austrian dance newcomer Lum!x, currently at #23. And at #98 we welcome French trap rapper Gambi, who crosses over to other French-speaking territories with two singles at the same time: Hé Oh and Popopop (both Warner).
There are four indie artists who had a particularly great November, gaining ten or more notches in the Music Moves Talent Artist chart. First up is Irish rock band The Murder Capital at #47, whose More Is Less is overtaking their success of Don’t Cling To Life (both Human Seasons Records). On the basis of their strong live performance, the new single is stretching to The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Belgium. Polish radio loves Stanger In Town (Nice Up Records) by British ska band Riddim Punks, now at #53. German rapper Apache 207 at #56 is wildly popular in the German-speaking countries with no less than seven tracks in the streaming chart. And finally, another Polish success story for former Wild Beasts member Tom Fleming. He rises with his project One True Pairing to #58 because of Polish airplay for his track Dawn At The Factory (Domino).
Menno Visser
Music journalist and radio professional from The Netherlands
