Two weeks into the new year and it’s good to see the ‘new thing’ announcements still coming.

In this update: there’s a new app for you to download, new music for you to check out, new initiatives to get involved in and mixes for you to stream or download right away.

New Music

Blessed Man

Hip-hop veteran Blessed Man announced the second single from his upcoming new album (his first album release in many years).

‘Worthy is the Lamb’ features another long serving artist Nathan Prime, and drops ‘soon’, according to a post on his Facebook page.

Precious Pearl Riddim

If you’re a Reggae music fan you’ll want to check out UK/Bahamas collaboration the ‘Precious Pearl Riddim’ EP.

In typical genre format, the 5-track project offers variations on a fundamental rhythm track, and features Toyin Adekale, Keziah Job, Unlimited Angel, The Davis Family and Deacon Judah.

Click on the album cover to stream it on Spotify.

CalledOut Music

And if you need even more tropical heat in your life right now (and who doesn’t, in view of our current winter weather) you need to get acquainted with CalledOut Music‘s brand new one.

‘I Am Free‘ is out now, and given its catchy rhythm (and bilingual lyric video), chances are you’ll be singing along in next to no time.

Female Artists

I don’t know what triggered it but something really good (re)started in 2016: more female artists started releasing music more consistently. Thankfully it’s a trend that continued in 2017.

If this month is anything to go by, it’s looking like the sisters are here to stay – and thank God for that, too.

Here are a few artists to check out:

Nikki Seriki

Nikki Seriki‘s new one is called I Found You, and it’s produced by Ibe Giantkiller.

Click the cover image to watch the lyric video.

Lurine Cato

I’m also looking forward to the rest of the world hearing ‘B Loved‘, the brand new single from Lurine Cato, fresh from her lead vocal appearance on the B Positive Choir’s debut single.

‘B Loved‘ is an atmospheric, Trap-infused song, liberally underpinned with great words of encouragement.

It should be widely available by the end of January – and you neeeeeeed to check it out.

More Great News

Philippa Hanna

And the great news doesn’t stop there. There’s a lot of brilliant activity on the boundaries of the music sphere: Philippa Hanna (photo at top of this entry) started an excellent ‘Inspiration 365’ vlog series at the beginning of the month.

You’re already 15 days behind so catch up here.

Sarah Teibo

Sarah Teibo has just launched a weekly Spotify playlist called ‘Songs of Hope’.

The selection will no doubt come from a very real place and be heavily influenced by her own recent loss: the death of her mum in late 2017.

Sandra Godley

And speaking of sisters doing big things: Sandra Godley’s ‘Sing For Sandra‘ initiative is awesome.

She’s putting together a very special, hugely inspiring ‘Gosp-Ability choir’, comprising people who have faced either mental or physical challenges in their lives and are overcoming them.

Once complete, the fully assembled choir is scheduled to perform in Windsor to mark Prince Harry’s wedding.

Full details at the Sing for Sandra website.

Nadine Lee

I was also really glad to find out that Nadine Lee‘s upcoming EP project is going to be one of those that doesn’t fall squarely into the ‘Gospel music’ genre.

We need more of our creatives to continue exploring themes that don’t necessarily fall into typical ‘Gospel’ category, and colour outside those perceived boundaries.

If her name (or face) rings a bell it’s probably because she’s one half of Ekklesia, or it might be because you saw her on BBC’s Gospel Choir of the Year in December 2017 teaching and directing the incredible youthful sound of London College of Creative Media.

New App for Kingdom Culture

One of my favourite sites to launch last year was Kingdom Culture, and exactly a year after their debut they’ve launched the KCMix Android app, bringing mixtapes, releases, reviews, music videos interviews and the latest on the scene as a whole.

New Mixtape from DJ Kelechi

DJ Kelechi‘s previous set, the Afrobeats Mixtape Volume 3 is actually a December 2017 release, but it actually got massive love (and serious traction) early in the new year.

If you liked it, then – good news – there’s now a new one out.

It’s also the first in a new series: ‘Move’ Volume 1 features transcontinental artists including J Vessel, Britt Nicole, Hollyn, Guvna B, Gawvi and more.

It’s full of Kelechi’s trademark mix and blends, cheeky edits and reworks (the clever Lurine Cato/Craig David mash-up right off the bat should give you an idea of what’s in store).

As usual, Kelechi focuses on mixing duties, turning hosting over Mr Beezy.