Best New Artists of the Month (August)

Some of our favorite rising acts in music, featuring Teezo Touchdown, Samia, MICHELLE, and Tom The Mail Man.

Best New Artists August 2020
P&P Original

Image by Sho Hanafusa

Best New Artists August 2020

Every month, we round up some of our favorite new music discoveries. Look back at all of our Best New Artists here and keep up with them all on the Best New Artists playlists on Spotify and Apple.

Teezo Touchdown

teezo touchdown


Teezo Touchdown is having a moment. The Texas-based artist seemed to emerge onto our Twitter timelines with a fully formed vision and the music to match. “Strong Friend” came first, with its timely reminder to “check in on your strong friend” accompanied by a simple but captivating video in front of a graffiti-covered garage.

Not long after, everyone from Tyler, The Creator to Sia was sharing Teezo’s music, and if his two subsequent releases “Careful” and the contagiously fun “SUCKA!” teach us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Teezo is one of the most compelling new artists out right now and there's plenty more music and videos on the horizon. In fact, as we've been planning an interview with Teezo (set to run soon) we've learned that he's operating in an exciting creative space and approaching everything that comes along with an artist's rise in a unique way. Stay tuned.

MICHELLE

MICHELLE

HEATWAVE, the debut album of NYC-based sextet MICHELLE, is an ode to the city the collective grew up in. With its forward-thinking production and alchemization of genres—from synth-pop melding to R&B—there’s an undeniable allure to the group. Encapsulating the diverse experience of a New York upbringing and its dynamic music scene, each member adds something distinctive to the project. After their 2018 introduction, MICHELLE returned two years later with “SUNRISE”—a feel-good anthem with a more refined, bittersweet sound. 

The six-piece consists of multi-instrumentalists Julian Kaufman and Charlie Kilgore, and singers Sofia D’Angelo, Layla Ku, Emma Lee, and Jamee Lockard, whose roots all trace back to the city they met in. “A New York City upbringing is an unparalleled experience. As a writer, you’re left with no other choice but to write about it. It is the thing that brought us together, after all,” Layla tells us, with Jamee adding, “MICHELLE's diversity was organic due to the city's diversity, and it has motivated us to use our platform to call out injustices.”

Across MICHELLE’s social media, discourse surrounding issues of social injustice is a focal point. Their Instagram is home to an ethos of collectivism beyond their approach to creating. “We collectively agree that artists who have any kind of platform need to continue to highlight and support the work that individuals and organizations have been doing for years,” Emma explains. “Silence is violence, it’s that simple,” adds Layla.

When asked about the future, the collective share a sense of ambiguity. “Just… more MICHELLE,” Sofia summarizes. Inspired by an array of acts, from Noname to Led Zeppelin and Orion Sun, and with each member preparing to face their 20s in such unpredictable times, MICHELLE aren’t sure what’s coming next. Whatever happens, the collective’s contagious charm and versatile creative approach is worth our attention.

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Saiah

Saiah

It's rare to hear a new artist who's willing to completely let go. When you listen to Saiah's vocals on songs like "HEART(BREAK)" or "Polaroid," you can tell the 22-year-old is at his best in these moments. “When I first decided to let go in my music was when I decided I ain’t have much to lose in my situation," Saiah explains. "My mom sick and she gets bedridden a lot, so I  wanted to make her proud in some way that ain’t normal."

Saiah was raised in Pittsburgh and remembers imitating Michael Jackson in third grade and getting hooked on Gwen Stefani's "Bananas" when he was still listening to music on a "lil blue CD player and the cheap headphones." Music was a passion, but in high school he moved to Arizona and became a track star, which earned him a college scholarship and started him on a new path. He eventually realized he was missing something, so he gave it up and decided to go all-in with music. His 2019 project Loverboyraceway Lostboy was the starting point, and he leveled up with the release of the 2020 single "Polaroid" alongside gaurdin, a song that now has over a million plays on Spotify alone.

Next up, the still-evolving Saiah is readying his sophomore EP Honest Red. "To the new listeners that are coming in, just know my music might not always make sense but it’ll be easy to feel," he says. "So just feel it out and remember that that I LOVE YOU for even clicking my name, because not a lot of people may get that chance.

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Tom The Mail Man

tom the mail man


When we highlighted the versatility of a new wave of Atlanta rappers like Kenny Mason and Wesson in a 2019 feature titled Atlanta’s Left Hand: The Changing Sound of ATL Rap, Seamus Fay wrote, “Working out of bedroom studios and honing their talents on a rich performance circuit, this scene is approaching a turning point. As part of the latest shift in Atlanta’s ever-mutating sound, everyone knows that something is about to happen, but no one is sure just what. The music is there, the creativity is there, and the groundwork of both fan and industry support has been laid, but the future remains equal parts bright and unpredictable.”

It’s been little over half a year since that feature, but Atlanta keeps churning out creative, boundary blurring talents, and Tom The Mail Man is the latest to catch our attention. He shared in an Instagram post that he’s been making music for 7 years, but it’s been during the last two that an undeniable wave of momentum has been building. It comes to a head in Liephas Evil, his second album, which came out this month.

“This album was my second attempt at trying to amalgamate my world and the world of others. All of my projects come to me when the universe decides it’s time,” he tells us. “And with each attempt I’ve grown closer to my end goal.” The album is based in rap—and Tom The Mail Man is a compelling MC who packs his verses with IG caption-worthy one-liners—but brings in grungey singing, acoustic guitar-driven beats, sing-song hooks and more. Atlanta still has a lot to say, and Liephas Evil is an impressive introduction to Tom The Mail Man's world.

Samia

samia

New York's singer-songwriter Samia is releasing her album The Baby this week, a stunning indie rock debut project that cements the 23-year-old as an essential rising star. Samia's been building momentum for a few years now with regular single releases and 2019 touring, but 2020 is set to be her breakout year. "The Baby reflects on a two year period of my life during which I learned to accept that I need people," Samia tells us. "It's about staring down the barrel at my fear of being alone and deciding that I don't need to confront it with exposure; it's about making the choice to lean on my community. I made it with my friends and about my friendships."

The album is packed with sharply written lyrics that reflect the anxieties, pressures, and bullshit of modern life experienced by a young woman. It's a riveting ride through Samia's psyche, and some of her most direct lyrics come in her catchiest songs, like "Big Wheel" which details a litany of regrets and broken relationships in a breezy pop song. "God, I'm really gonna blow with all this empathetic shit / I understand the thing you did and every reason you did it / But I'm so mad dude and I wanna cry," she sings.

If you're looking for a new indie-rock obsession, The Baby is out 8/28 via Grand Jury.

SAULT

sault


SAULT appeared out of nowhere in 2019 with two albums, simply titled 5 and 7, and almost no information about who was behind the project. Even without further context, the music connected, a heady mixture of soul, funk, Afrobeat, disco, dub and more that didn’t need big personalities to drive it. In fact, online digging suggests British producer and singer Inflo, British singer Cleo Sol, and Chicago rapper/singer Kid Sister are behind Sault, but it really doesn’t matter, and it doesn’t feel as if mystery is being used as a marketing tool leading to a big reveal.

This year, SAULT released Untitled (Black Is) on Juneteenth, a mesmerizing project that draws from the same sonic touchstones as the first two albums, but feels more urgent and direct, a call to action and a celebration of Blackness. SAULT shared the album with the following message: “We present our first ‘Untitled’ album to mark a moment in time where we as Black People, and of Black Origin are fighting for our lives. RIP George Floyd and all those who have suffered from police brutality and systemic racism. Change is happening…We are focused.”

Listen to the full album on streaming services or grab it as a name your price download from Bandcamp here.

Brandon Banks

brandon banks

For Brandon Banks, making beautiful music is a protest to chaos. The 26-year-old Inglewood-born, Gardena-raised, and Louisiana-planted R&B artist is intentional with every aspect of his process. “Making a song is like putting together a puzzle with endless possibilities—each direction you take can lead you to a different destination and you have to choose that with purpose.” 

His first project Tides is a display of a man facing and unpacking trauma with unflinching honesty. His second, Static, is much lighter yet just as substantial, replete with deep subject matter over free-flowing chords. Each song explores a different type of friction in his life—good or bad—and delineates the ways in which it has shaped him. Tides was the release and Static is the light at the end of the tunnel.”

In high school, Banks felt a tangible mental shift after picking up a guitar, which became an outlet for any anger and resentment he felt internally. He grew to love words and self-expression in a way that allowed him to process his emotions, something that wasn’t outwardly encouraged in his upbringing. “Growing up, music was my secret. I wrote poems and songs in my bedroom to escape an aggressive environment.”

These days, Banks is focused on deepening his knowledge and range as a musician. He sings, writes and produces for both himself and others and has worked with artists like Babyface and Brandy. His interests are expansive—and paired with a natural curiosity for the world—allow him to break down language and jump around melodically in a unique way. His ultimate goal is to radiate peace in all forms. “I want my music to feel like the sun setting over a calm sea, when light is cascading off the waves.”

Look out for his latest release, an A-side/B-side project dropping on August 28.

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redveil

redveil

redveil first popped up on our radar earlier this year with "run it back," a compelling combination of gruff rapping over a distorted beat that sounds as if could fall apart at any moment with heartfelt singing. Digging back into redveil's catalog revealed a rapper and producer experimenting and developing in real time—which makes sense for a 16 year old. His SoundCloud page is packed with producer flips of popular songs, as well as rap tracks that have more in common with the lo-fi sound of Earl Sweatshirt or MAVI, and more.

This week, redveil released a project called niagara, his best and most consistent body of work to date. The PG County, Maryland artist raps with clarity about everything he sees around him—the good, the bad, and the ugly—painting a vivid picture of growing up as a young Black man in testing times. "To me, niagara represents optimism, and it represents liberation. I’m in a place in my life for the first time in a very long time where I truly feel mentally free, and it shows on this project. The instrumentals are bright and colorful, and the lyrics are genuinely hopeful for the future. To me, it’s the start of a new era in my life, which is an era where I can conquer anything I set my mind to."

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