Music Week is delighted to welcome Ezra Collective to the cover of our latest issue.
It has been almost a year since they made history by becoming the first ever jazz act to win the Mercury Prize for their second studio album, Where I’m Meant To Be. With their follow-up LP on its way, the excitement around what the band has to offer next is palpable.
Recorded at Abbey Road, Dance, No One’s Watching is due to be released via Partisan on September 27, and – channelling both Fela Kuti and The Beatles – it's a record that captures the energy of the band's celebratory live gigs.
“We were making these songs looking at the audience of Ezra Collective and going, ‘What is the sound for this moment in the crowd? What is the sound of everyone together?’” drummer and band leader Femi Koleoso tells Music Week in a candid and straight-talking interview.
Joined by the quintet’s manager Amy Frenchum and Partisan’s Jeff Bell and Zena White, Koleoso and fellow bandmate Ife Ogunjobi dive into how the new record came to life, and talk staying grounded amidst the noise, identity and how they will never compromise the music.
Meanwhile, the latest edition of the Music Week Interview sees Robots + Humans president Robert Ronaldson open up about life at Sony. In a conversation that takes in the role of technology in artist discovery and music’s ever-evolving relationship with data, the tech entrepreneur turned leading executive offers a fresh take on the UK’s issue with emerging talent.
Elsewhere, ahead of the release of his highly-anticipated memoir, Rebel With A Cause, former Island president Darcus Beese opens up about how writing the book changed him and discusses his secrets to success, tackling discrimination in the industry and building a legacy to be remembered.
Also in our features section, star songwriter and producer Kamille lays out her unconventional plans for the release of her brand new K2 project and offers an honest reflection on life as an independent artist.
Up next, KISS’ rising star DJ Esi celebrates her new rap show, talks the genre’s future and traces her inspiring journey from community radio to national airwaves.
Our final feature is a label services special, where a selection of key industry players outline the evolution of one of the industry’s most competitive sectors.
Producer and co-writer Evan Blair takes us behind the scenes on how Benson Boone’s No.1 hit Beautiful Things came to life in the new edition of Hitmakers, while Will Young looks back on his time on Pop Idol in the leadup to his brand new record, Light It Up, in The Aftershow.
In Mentor Me this month – a collaboration between Music Week and Girls I Rate – radio plugger and Three Thirty Music founder Mel Rudder reveals her top five tips on building a career in the music industry.
The Big Story sees execs from BPI, ERA, HMV and Rough Trade hold court on the growth of physical music so far in 2024.
The front section also features music industry icon Pixie Lott, who goes deep on the making of Encino – her first record in ten years – in Incoming and Bristol singer Elles Bailey in On The Radar, as she celebrates her new label deal and talks Americana. In this month’s Spotlight Q&A, SACEM’s Cécile Rap-Veber shares her thoughts on streaming remuneration and more.
Lastly, in our expanded monthly charts section, we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from July 16.
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