Welcome back to your weekly dose of live music shenanigans from Emerging Icons, where we reveal the five most unmissable gigs from some of the best new talent around.
We like to give you a heads up on some of the awesome shows planned for the week ahead. Just follow the links below to visit any of the artists' profiles, check out their music, and you can even let them know that you plan on coming down to see 'em play. It's dead simple- there's just a massive button saying 'YES' that you need to click and the act will know they can rely on your SuperFan support. This guy knows what it's about..
So let's have a look at the shows that will rock your freakin' world- our Top Five Emerging Icons Live...
Wednesday 17th July
The effing gorgeous Ilona is set to take to the stage at the hottest of all the new music hotbeds in all of South London. The Bedford is one of the best places to catch the future megastars of tomorrow- and this lady is surely in the running for such success. With oodles of talent and a stunning voice, Bulgarian-born Ilona is a name that is cropping up throughout the new music scene from SXSW festival to numerous appearances on BBC radio. While the critics have been comparing her talent to the likes of Karen Carpenter and Shania Twain, the edgy pop singer has revealed that she's in fact greatly influenced by the smooth sounds of Sade and the big stage presence of American rock bands. It's a deadly combo and one that's not to be missed!
Thursday 18th July
No London Folkfest would be complete without the awesome talent of Marie Naffah on its bill. It was an absolute pleasure to host Marie on our exclusive Westfield stage a couple of weeks ago- and it's safe to say that her appearance at The Bedford will be one of the memorable highlights of the evening. With her charismatic vocal, brutally honest songwriting, and of course her extremely special blindfolded showstopper... Marie is an artist that shows just how beautifully creative acoustic music can be. Her recent success in Daft Punk's fiercely contested online covers competition has seen her profile gain a well-deserved boost that will continue to grow with showcases like this.
Friday 19th July
Stowmarket Carnival has a rocking set lined up from local guitar-toting ragamuffins, Underline The Sky. The female-fronted four-piece will no doubt pull a pretty decent crowd, with several thousand fans already under their melodic spell, ready to set that pit off once the first belting chorus kicks in. As always, the pop-punk aspects and the gutsy girl on the mic will no doubt draw a few Paramore comparisons; but there's loads more to Underline The Sky than that. Their songs are edgy and pack a real punch, lining this lot up as a very real and potential threat on the alt music scene. Having recently toured as one of Ourzone's 'Discovered' artists for 2013, it's high time that you get in the loop 'n all.
Sunday 21st July
Our acoustic Sundays down at Westfield London continue with an impeccable instrumental showcase from the brilliant Rob Johnson. His skills as a guitarist take the spotlight as his brilliant, spellbinding tunes give acoustic music a whole new sound and a unique edge. This is a set that will more than likely stop passers-by dead in their tracks to investigate where the stunning stream of sound is coming from. Having spent a number of years in many different bands, collaborating with everything from film makers to composers, rockers and dub step artists; he is a master of his craft and a multi-skilled performer. Kinda like a Swiss Army Knife. But a sexy, musical one.
Sunday 21st July
Also making the bill for our superchilled Sunday is brilliant singer-songwriter, Rayon Nelson. With influences coming from Jamaica, London and a number of jazz and soul sounds, his music is a fresh fusion that'll be a hit with fans of acoustic and mainstream music alike. As well as making it into our 'You Need To Hear This' feature a few months back, the gorgeous 'Wait For Me' also saw Rayon longlisted to play at this year's Glastonbury Festival. It's no surprise as this fella has a smooth vocal to frigging die for- and with his debut EP now out for public consumption he's likely to snap up a lot more new fans following his performance on our stage. This set is guaranteed to be an absolute beaut so make sure you're there to witness it.
If you can't make it down to any of these shows, don't panic! There are plenty more just waiting to be discovered. All you have to do is click on the GIGS tab at the top of our homepage where you can find listings from loads more amazing artists!