NEWS
EVENTS
New acts that need to be on your radar for The Great Escape Festival next weekend
RnB/Hip Hop | Friday 11th May 2018 | Becky
Are you that friend who introduces new acts and music to your mates all the time, always keeping one ear to the ground and hungry to hear what new music could be developing out there? If that sounds like you, then you might have had The Great Escape Festival in your calendar already, if not then do yourself a huge favour and get down to Brighton between the 17th and 19th of May for a cherry-picked selection of exceptional up and coming talent.
The Great Escape festival originated in 2006 and has since proven to be an all-embracing platform for new aspiring artists to get heard and influence a wider audience empowering them to take the next step in their musical careers. In addition to the main festival, there is also The Alternative Escape, a further strand of 'unofficial' shows and a music industry convention section which is attended by over 3000 music professionals all keen to hear "that" next big star.
The Dutch are the lead international country this year and will be showcasing some of their most prominent rising stars which are breaking through the Dutch music scene right now. Overall there are 450 plus artists performing over the 3 days, across 30 venues in Brighton that are all within walking distance of one another.
So if you want to get your "step count" up, then Guestlist has identified a few new acts that need be on your radar if you're heading down to this year's Great Escape:
Nadia Nair
Saturday 19th May
07:30 pm - Shooshh (The Notion Stage)
Nadia is a really refreshing artist and has already made a name for herself through past releases. She describes her sound as “Open for interpretation art”, with her Scandinavian roots matched against her Malaysian-Indian heritage. She has been working behind the scenes in the last few years, with the likes of Skip Marley and Kindess.
A singer/songwriter first, Nadia is also a poet, visualist and producer, and is very much involved in the visual aspects of her project. Through her music, Nadia unapologetically showcases her inner battles, existential questions and emotions for an intense but beautiful experience.
Sonny
Thursday 17th May
12:30 pm - Marine Room (Harbour Hotel)
Signed to independent label Never Fade Records - Sonny has performed at festivals including Boardmasters and Secret Garden Party. He previously supported Gabrielle Aplin and James TW and recently supported Catherine McGrath on her sold-out UK tour. After The Great Escape, Sonny will be supporting Saint Raymond on his UK tour in June. Sonny released his debut EP Hopeless Romance in 2017 and received accolades from top tastemaker publications including Wonderland Magazine, NOTION, CLASH, 1883 Magazine and Fault Magazine. He is set to release his forthcoming EP this year.
Canshaker Pi
Friday 18th May
3:30 pm - Komedia
Saturday 19th May
10:15 pm -Horatios
Canshaker Pi's inflammable brand of indie rock, their relentless energy and highly-strung stage antics have earned them the title of one of the best Dutch live bands. Their debut record was produced by Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and landed them gigs at every major festival in The Netherlands and sent them all around Europe, spreading havoc, excitement and awe. While expanding their territory by winning hearts and minds one by one the band is also working on a new record.
Naaz
Friday 18th May
9:00 pm - Sallis Benney Theatre
Naaz is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter and producer from Holland, who immediately captures your attention with her distinctive voice. Having a Kurdish background, it took Naaz quite some time and effort to convince her family to allow her to follow her passion. During that time, Naaz taught herself to write, produce and record her own music in her bedroom, so she could still be able to make music regardless of any circumstances. Her quirky, playful yet subtle productions go hand in hand with her melodic songwriting, resulting in a music genre which she herself has named 'quirk-pop'. Now with her family lovingly by her side, she wholeheartedly encourages other artists to do the same and never give up on their dreams. In 2017 she signed her first record deal with Universal Music, which quickly followed with her first official single 'Words'. Her debut EP 'Bits Of Naaz' is expected to be released in 2018.
Stevie Appleton
Thursday 17th May
7:30 pm - One Church
A singer-songwriter, Stevie Appleton spent the past couple of years writing and producing for Dutch label Spinnin Records. He got on so well with everyone and theyd loved his ideas and voice so much, they asked if he wanted to be a full-time writer and offered him a deal. In a further twist, he was placed on the radar of Warner Bros. Records when Spinnin was acquired by the prestigious major in September of last year. The clincher was new single Supposed To Do a propulsive, bass-driven groove, written over a vintage drum break. Warner loved the track so much they decided to release it themselves, 'Supposed To Do' is out now.
Pip Blom
Thursday 17th May
7:15 pm - Paganini Ballroom (The Old Ship)
Friday 18th May
2:30 pm - Komedia
Saturday 19th May
9:15 pm - Prince Albert
Based in Amsterdam, 21-year-old Pip Blom writes, records and releases her own indie-pop tunes with a twist. Although she only started releasing her raw guitar power with catchy melodies in early 2016, things move fast. Pip Blom is a band now and has recorded two sessions for BBC Radio 6 (Marc Riley) and one for Radio 1 (Huw Stephens). They've played a lot in Holland and Britain and will support the Breeders on their European tour this summer. MTV UK called the gig at The Great Escape 2017 one of the highlights of the festival.
Odette
Thursday 17th May
6:30 pm - Sallis Benny Theatre
Saturday 19th May
2:10 pm - Sounds Australia - Aussie BBQ@ Beach House
English born / Australian based breathtaking singer-songwriter Odette recently released her latest single Take It To The Heart, which has been lifted from her forthcoming debut album To A Stranger (produced by Damian Taylor who worked with Bjork, The Prodigy and The Killers) and is set to be released on July 6th via EMI Music Australia. The new song follows captivating spoken-word infused debut single Watch Me Read You and poignant second single Collide, both tracks eclipsing over 5 million streams between them.
Pitou
Thursday 17th May
9:30 pm - Unitarian Church
Friday 18th May
12:45pm - Komedia
The music of Amsterdam-born musician Pitou is characterized by her highly distinctive voice, special compositions and the use of vocal harmonies as an instrument in themselves. She draws inspiration from sources ranging from Bulgarian choir music to Sparklehorse and Joni Mitchell. Her highly anticipated self-titled debut record was released in 2016 on Scottish/Dutch label Mink Records and was greeted with national and international critical acclaim. In 2017 Pitou has played across The Netherlands, in Brussels, Glasgow and London, and she is confirmed for The Great Escape 2018, plus a new record is in the making.
Hannah Jane Lewis
Thursday 17th May
1 pm - The Mesmerist
Hannah has worked hard to deserve the current buzz surrounding her, releasing three singles independently before her last year's Raincheck and 2018 release 'Aftershock.' She has received praise from the likes of The Sunday Times, Buzzfeed, Line Of Best Fit, Clash, tmrw Magazine, 1883 and Popjustice - no wonder she has nearly three million streams on Spotify.
Born in Surrey, Hannah moved to sunny Florida at age 14, where her idols quickly became the likes of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani. After finishing High School she decided to move to New York, where she attended NYUs prestigious Tisch School of The Arts, attended by the likes of Lady Gaga.
