Looks can be deceiving. I’m sure that when you first spot a tall, slender androgynous looking lady, with stunningly, wild curly hair and a guitar strapped to her back- a soulful singer/songwriter isn’t what you first expect. Blackpool born-and-bred Karima Francis is currently at the top of her game, producing slick and evocative EP’s which are both beautiful and emotionally charged. Recently signed to Mercury records, her latest EP ‘The Remedy’ reached a peak position of 36 in the UK charts and has been highly acclaimed by critics and radio DJ’s alike. It’s a clean collection of emotive, confessional tunes, using layered vocals and clever lyrics to create a highly intelligent record distinctive, but heartfelt, melancholy undertones. My favourites would be‘Wherever I Go’- a ballsy ballad portraying the pain caused through loss, and‘Stay’- a beautifully crafted (Tracy Chapman- esk?) song with a sustaining hint of an intriguing darkness. I urge you to give her a listen… as I said, looks can be deceiving.
KAL LAVELLE
Well, if you have followed my blog at all over the last couple of years, you will have discovered that I am a huge Kal Lavelle fan. Having first seen her support Ed Sheeran back in 2011, I was instantly hooked on her music. The mixture of intriguing vocals and sparse guitar chords are both interesting and emotive, allowing her music to portray real and relatable feelings. After the debut of her highly acclaimed‘Shivers’ EP, she is soon to release a collaborations record with several London-based grime and rap artists (or so I’ve heard). But personally, the thing that grabs me most about Kal as an artist is her performance style. Despite her quiet and soulful music, her witty audience rapport and inclusion adds a whole other level to her gigs- making everyone warm to her personality and enjoy her natural wit. This distinctive lack of polystyrene smiles and cheesy song stories makes her music all the more, well… real, and real songs with genuine emotions appear to be far more difficult to come across in this auto-tuned, boy-band society that we inhabit. My personal favourite tracks are‘Gypsy Blood’, a beautifully nostalgic number (also the most listened to song on my IPod!) and the ‘I Fell in Love with my Friend’ duet with Mic Righteous, where the sweet, romanticised lyrics seem to blend effortlessly with the fast, grimy and intriguing rap. Check out:http://www.facebook.com/kallavellemusic .
LIANNE LA HAVAS
No one quite seems to fit the ‘up-and-coming’ title like Lianne La Havas. Having recently signed to Atlantic records and releasing a beautifully subtle duet with Willy Mason, her popularity and ability as an artist has rocketed. Her debut album ‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’ has made a tremendous impact on the UK charts, with plays on multiple radio stations and some serious download stats-but this isn’t what makes her such a tremendous musician. The mixture of interesting guitar chords, haunting vocals and highly intelligent lyrics make Lianne an incredibly unique performer. After seeing her live for the first time at Latitude festival this year I have learnt that she is enjoyable to watch and incredibly humble- even pausing to take a picture of the crowd for her Facebook page! My top tunes would have to be ‘Au Cinema’, a wonderfully sweet song with subtle melodies and beautiful lyrics, and ‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’ a real feel-good song about self-loving, which I don’t doubt will put a smile on your face. I’d watch out for Lianne, if I were you, as I’m sure this won’t be the last you hear of her. 
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