SPOT at Home
As SPOT had to join the group of many others to cancel their 2020 main event, we have been working hard to organize other SPOT events this summer and autumn. To the performers, SPOT – had it taken place next week – would’ve been their unique opportunity to showcase their music in front of international press and business reps.
This is why we are giving the spotlight they and some previous SPOT performers deserve in this handpicked showcase compilation series called SPOT at Home. Special sessions made by the acts while waiting for the stages to re-open – and made for you to watch: No queues, no RSVP’s. Please find below these fresh talents. If anything should spark your interest, we’ll gladly tell you more about the acts and connect you to the respective managements. The campaign is made in close cooperation with our German partner FACTORY 92 and supported by MXD – Music Export Denmark.
ERICKA JANE
The 24 year old Ericka Jane brings edgy urban pop to the party. The half Filipino half Danish singer is inspired by Rihanna, Banks and Beyoncé when creating her music. As a 16 year old she uploaded a cover of a Drake song on YouTube and quickly gained more than 100,000 views. Today she has more than 25 million streams across all platforms, and in the end of July she releases her second EP ”Hard To Fake It”.
PASHA X COUCHERON (NO)
Coming from the Norwegian underground hip hop scene, Pasha gained praise among international tastemakers such as NME. At only 18 years old, the producer Coucheron became a favorite for international A-listers such as Kehlani and Nick Jonas. Now, they’re combining Pasha’s retro flavored, upbeat bars with Coucheron’s playful approach to electronic dance music from a cabin in the Norwegian mountains.
REBECCA LOU
The Danish punk-pop-rock trio, Rebecca Lou kicked in the door to the Danish music scene in 2019. A tremendous year for the band that included Roskilde, heavy rotation on Danish radio, and spellbinding both the Danish and the German music media with their debut album ”Bleed” and their hard-hitting concerts. Their style is unflinching: equal parts raw and unpolished rock and catchy choruses, delivered by confident lead Rebecca L. Armstrong
TAKYKARDIA
Takykardia fuse elements of trip hop, alternative r’n’b, jazz, and dream pop. All the time with a twist so that your curiosity is constantly piqued and you want to lose yourself completely in the spherical textures of the music. Singer Luna Matz’s groundbreaking vocal register and frank lyrics are combined with complex harmonies and catchy melodies. All in all a project in the borderland of epic pop and art.
THE ENTREPRENEURS
The three piece Danish noise rock outfit The Entrepreneurs have established themselves as one of the most exciting and fiercest live bands out of Denmark. With their energetic live shows and a powerful blend of genres like post-punk and grunge they unravel their potent songwriting and explore the skill to the core. The Entrepreneurs released their debut album ‘Noise & Romance’ in 2019 and at the moment they are finishing the next record. Watch them perform their new single “A Good Year to Go Across Country” here.
MATIJA
When Munich’s indie pop darlings appeared on the scene with their precious 2017 debut “Are We An Electric Generation Falling Apart?” for Clouds Hill, they were so young you could hardly believe they had been playing together for six years already. This windfall made the album become one of the most exciting indie debuts of the year, and Matija a straightaway phenomenon. The Matija of 2020 are pure musical introspection, urging us listeners to do the same and think about, well, stuff. From a musical perspective, it may well be a bit more chilled than on their stormy, adolescent first record.
THE COURETTES
“The world’s greatest two person rock n’ roll ensemble” (The Next Big Thing, UK), The Courettes have been busy delivering their full-speed energetic performances (more than 300 concerts!) in 15 countries around Europe and South America. The Brazilian/Danish garage sensation has recently signed with legendary, British label Damaged Goods Records and. has been receiving praising from music journalists around the world.
IVANSITO
Danish/Chilenian rapper and singer blending Spanish rhymes, Nordic noir-beats, and Latinamerican rhythms. Catchy tunes and lyrics with an afterthought.
CHORUS GRANT
Kristian Finne and his band Chorus Grant belong to the alternative folk family. The music created by the singer-songwriter and his band describe courage, heart, bonfire and soot. Not just on the albums but live as well – the group has performed on two of the biggest stages in Denmark: Roskilde Festival and Northside Festival. But there is absolutely no reason why Chorus Grant shouldn’t expand their fame beyond the Danish borders.
SKINNY VIOLET
Partners in crime Amalie Kruse and Ulf Hove make up Skinny Violet, and together they erect a wall of heavy guitar riffs and roaring drums. The sound is thrashy, yet at the same time the energetic front woman and the hard-hitting drummer are a really tight duo. Despite being just the two of them, they are notorious for their 200-miles-an-hour shows. Playing live their intensity reaches all the way to the back rows of the venue.
HJALTE ROSS
Hjalte Ross, is a 23 year old Danish singer and songwriter who released his debut album ‘Embody’ November 2018, with great responds from amongst others MOJO, Uncut, Metro News and KEXP. The aftermath of the release of ‘Embody’ has seen Hjalte Ross on several Nordic Festival posters as Roskilde Festival, SPOT Festival, Reeperbahn, Musik I Lejet, etc. as well as being nominated for ‘hope of the year’ at the Danish critical awards, and winning a Danish Musicians Autor Award (DJBFA).
JESSE MARKIN (FI)
Jesse Markin is a Liberian-born songwriter from Finland. Having released his debut single ‘Blood’ in May 2018, Markin soon became the hottest act on the Finnish urban & indie scene. Markin’s gift is his ability to fuse indie pop, hip-hop soul and r’n’b, to which he adds a touch of African folk. His rock-solid delivery of this fusion is imbued with an intensity that keeps you enthralled.
JACOB DINESEN
Jacob Dinesen is a young storyteller with an incredible voice and an old soul. He plays an Americana inspired crossover between rock,folk and country, and has released 3 albums, been certified gold and platinum – and has got heavy radio rotation. Jacob Dinesen has also played Americana Fest in London, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Faroe Islands. A big tour of Germany will be rescheduled for 2021.
MARSHALL CECIL
A band who made their debut two years ago with a distinctive pop universe with elements of r’n’b, pop, hip hop and rock. Their new single ‘Soliloquy, (Wouldn’t Feel Alone)’, has opened up to what they call their ‘bipolar pop universe’. Both in terms of lyrics and sound, the trio oscillate between melancholy introspection and triumphant transcendence. Fittingly the title of the forthcoming album will be ‘Going Up / Going Down’.
ATHINA
The future looks bright for the Danish-Greek singer and songwriter Athina. With honest songs, a charismatic voice and a passion for sustainability her music receives great recognition in both Danish and American media. When her release concert got cancelled due to covid19 she arranged for courtyards concerts – it spread through SoMe and got aired on the National News. She has been touring ever since with a still growing fanbase.
JOE & THE SHITBOYS (FO)
The Faroese shitpunk band is all in for no bullshit. This is four energetic guys, who mix punk, satire, teenage anxiety and honest lyrics in a beautiful and redeeming way. Four bisexual vegan punks who initally got their inspiration from provocative artwork found in the basement of an old abandoned school. The session is from the Faraose Music Awards – corona cancelled in the last minutes only allowing cameramen in the room.
GURLI OCTAVIA
Gurli Octavia seduces the audience with her compelling and spellbinding songwriting. Her lyrical universe is melancholic, yet uplifting. The songs contain depth and vulnerability, which casts a spell on the listeners. Growing up in her parent’s travelling circus, she was raised for a life on the road. In that sense Gurli has naturally combined the street performing element from her upbringing with the music she wants to act out.
LIBERTY
Liberty is a new name in the Danish music arena but many will recognize the creator, Mattias Kolstrup. He is the former front figure in the band Dúné which ended in 2018 after 18 hectic years. After a well-deserved break filled with inspiration and thoughtfulness, Mattias is ready to go solo with completely new material fresh and with new energy. A melodic mix of rock and pop – and with that well-known touch and edge.
ELBA
As if out of nowhere, the 25-year-old singer and songwriter Ellen Bathoum has landed confidently on the Danish music scene with a clearly defined artistic expression. Armed with all the devices of electronic pop music ELBA delivers monumental and effective synth pop that is immediately catchy and soul-stirring. In her lyrics ELBA tells relatable stories about loss of control and the many shades of love.
GO GO BERLIN
After a journey of artistic self-discovery and three years without releases, Go Go Berlin returned last year with new songs and a new sound. Their former trademark, the retro rock, blowing audiences away across the world, has been infused with electronic elements and contemplative moods – like this new session shows.
SOLEIMA
It is safe to say that Soleima is a well acclaimed artist in Denmark with her sold out concerts and honorable nominations at various Danish music awards shows. Lately, Soleima has focused on writing new songs, and together with her remarkable and spellbinding voice these songs have generated a lot of international interest: She has signed with Atlantic Records (US), and in February she toured across the USA.
LYDMOR
Hailed as “the most ground-breaking, inventive artist in Europe right now, possibly in the world” by God Is in the TV Magazine, it seems fair to say that Jenny Rossander aka Lydmor has created quite a buzz. Always on the move, her electronic universe is equal parts bubbling creativity and personal integrity. On stage, neon-clad Lydmor stands as a regular one-woman army with a baffling gift for creating irresistibly catchy, yet deeply personal songs.
IDA LAURBERG
19-year-old singer and songwriter Ida Laurberg has always explored her own musicality. After numerous singles, and with her serious pop potential and more than 200,000 monthly Spotify listeners, she is ready for take-off on her journey to the very top. Her skills as a singer are unmistakable with her beautiful voice and her honest and confident phrasings. Add to that the personal lyrics that reflect real life.
SVANEBORG KARDYB
Minimalistic, spheric and created over the blackest coffee in the earliest of mornings. Electronic vibes meet acoustic grooves, and catchy melodies meet Nordic atmospheres.
SOON
23-year-olds August and Andreas mix R&B, pop and electronic beats. Influenced by the new wave of Scandinavian pop music with soul and character, while nodding to their international heroes such as Kelela, The Weeknd and Majid Jordan.
MEKDES
Things are going well for the young up-and-comer Mekdes, who was awarded the Danish title Live Act 2019. Her uplifting neo-soul has brought a new energy to the musical landscape, and she writes and produces all of her music from her base in the small Danish town Kolding. On her latest single “In Favor Of You” she beautifully adds a layer of melancholy to her catchy r’n’b realm. Watch out for an artist who’s heading for the stars.
