Live Shows Next Week: Seinabo Sey & Jack Garratt

I moved to New York City for the music. While my job isn’t in music, my passion is in live music and music in general. In the couple of years that I’ve been living here, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing artists BEFORE they blossom into stars, playing intimate little venues all across the city and I LOVE IT.

SPEAKING of great live music, I have two shows coming up next week that I’m pretty excited about-Seinabo Sey and Jack Garratt. Sure, I’ve seen Seinabo twice already but I’m willing to see certain artists I really like multiple times (before they blow up and play Terminal 5, of course). Jack Garratt is one artist that I am just now getting into, but I’m pretty pumped to catch him in an intimate setting like Le Poisson Rouge.

Seinabo Sey from Sweden has been on my radar since I heard “Hard Time” for the first time. When I saw her DAZZLE during her CMJ showcase, I was even more smitten. She brought that crowd to her knees and I was there, damn it. Since then, Seinabo Sey has been working her magic all over the world, playing shows all over the place, gradually building up her fan base. While she has yet to have a chart hit here in the States, that’s not to say she hasn’t been turning heads. In addition to captivating live audiences around the globe with her powerful vocal and less is more presentation, her music has already been included in promo spots for major network television series and films. Not too shabby!

Over in the UK, things are starting to heat up for the singer/songwriter who’s been compared to another big-voiced Brit, Adele. Not only is she in the midst of a new UK tour playing alongside buzzy new duo, LION BABE (check them out!) but we have new remixes for Seinabo Sey‘s breakthrough single, “Younger” came out last week from Camelphat and Heavytrackerz, and while nothing can compare with the remix that earned Sey her first Scandinavian hit by (*AHEM* KYGO *AHEM) these two aren’t bad at all. Listen to the new remixes below.

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“Younger” has already landed in the top 10 chart on iTunes in more than 10 countries and is certified 4 x platinum in Norway and 3 x platinum. Not only that, but the video for “Younger” has already topped over 2.2 million views and 65 million Spotify plays. While she recently released a new EP dedicated to her father in her homeland, her debut US/UK EP, For Madeleine (dedicated to her Mum) is out now everywhere else (iTunes). We can expect Seinabo’s debut album on Virgin EMI Records sometime this summer.

Seinabo Sey will play The Marlin Room at Webster Hall next Wednesday, May 27th with special guests James Davis opening. Get tickets HERE and check out a full list of tour dates here.

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Check Out Seinabo Sey Online: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

Jack Garratt is an artist who I’m NOT ALL THAT FAMILIAR with just yet, but I am absolutely head over heals in love with new single, the UTTERLY INFECTIOUS, “Chemical,” a slightly sad sounding little ditty that you’d expect to be played accompanied by a guitar or a piano, rather than a glitchy wave of pulsating electronic beats. BUT IT WORKS (and there is piano in there for the record). When it comes to artists I’m not that familiar with, sometimes you just have to take a chance and catch a show. Generally speaking, I don’t leave disappointed.

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A little background on Jack Garratt-he is a handsomely bearded British singer/songwriter/musician/producer, who’s EP, Synesthesiac dropped last month (via Interscope Records). Next week he kicks off a series of U.S. shows, starting here in New York at Le Poisson Rouge (my FAV). For a list of tour dates, check out Jack’s official website.

Garratt produced his new EP (iTunes) entirely on his own and features previous single, “The Love You’re Given” as well as three new tracks-“Synesthesia Pt. 1,” “Lonesome Valley,” and of course “Chemical.” Be sure and check out the Tom Clarkson-directed video for “Chemical” above if you haven’t already. The song has sort of become Jack Garratt‘s international calling card, earning raves from Entertainment Weekly, Stereogum and The Guardian and even getting its first ever play on influential (former) BBC Radio 1 DJ, Zane Lowe‘s show. Prior to Synesthesiac, Garratt released his debut EP at home in the UK, called Remnants, which he followed up with several sold-out shows in London as well as a REMIX EP, cleverly titled Remnix, including remixes by Son Lux, IYES and more. I cannot WAIT to see this guy play live.

Check Out Jack Garratt Online: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram