We’re excited to announce that the next two artists to be highlighted as part of Apple Music’s Up Next Local series are Babyface Mal and Shouse.
Apple Music’s Up Next Local series is dedicated to identifying and showcasing up and coming talent across Australia and New Zealand, hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world.
First up is Shouse, an electronic duo that’s made up of Aussie’s Ed and Jack. The duo has been around since 2015 but recently received a boost in exposure when their song ‘Love Tonight’ because the latest track to become part of a TikTok trend. The track gained so much popularity that Kelly Clarkson covered it on her hugely popular talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
‘Love Tonight’ was originally released in 2017, and while it was received well, it didn’t see the mainstream acclaim that it was worthy of, until it began to gain traction on TikTok.
Earlier this month, the Aussie based duo released ‘Won’t Forget You’, a track that the boys said, “is a song about friendship and love.” They added: “This song is for your best friends, for family living far away, for that new friend on the dance floor. It’s the song that reminds us of those we love. It’s a song to sing together.”
Since its recent release, ‘Won’t Forget You’ has shot to the top of numerous music charts. On February 14th, it sat at number two on Apple Music’s global Electronic top 200 charts, with ‘Love Tonight’ taking out the top spot.
The second artist we’re highlighting today is Babyface Mal, the 22-year-old hip hop artist who is consistently producing impressive tracks, with no sign of slowing down in 2022.
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Last year, the Australian born Turkish Egyptian rapper/songwriter signed with record label 66 Records and released a massive five singles in five months. This year, the talented musician is keeping up the pace, having already released a three track EP called The Crib Vol. 1.
And, it appears that Babyface Mal plans to keep the momentum going, revealing in an interview with us that he has some “big features” on the way.
We spoke to both Babyface Mal and Shouse to get their thoughts on everything from the global pandemic to the driving force behind their music and much more.
Shouse
Check out Open feat. Habits by Shouse:
Shouse artist page on Apple Music.
What is one thing that has helped keep you going during the global pandemic?
Music! We were lucky enough to have a global hit exploding across the world which added a bit of spice and interest to the often monotonous days of the lockdown and was always something to think about and look forward to (playing shows after the pandemic). We’re glad that we somehow created an anthem of support and love during these times of disconnection for the world.
Take us through how you developed your music style?
Collaboration, and experimentation. When we started out, we really didn’t know much about dance music and production but got together and gave it a crack and ended up making some pretty weirdo-house. Actually the first song we ever created together, after meeting at a nightclub was Love Tonight. One of the things that helps define our style we think is a certain naivety and sincerity, channelled through the medium of the few analog synthesizers and drum machines. We tend to keep our instrumental sound palette very limited – pure, channeled and filtered electricity, combined with the power of songwriting and the human voice.
What do you see as your secret weapon when it comes to your music?
Our community! We are so lucky to live and work in a community of friends and family who want to be a part of our music and participate in our choirs. For us, music is an essential tool for social connection and for the embodiment of community love into sound. We’re forever grateful for our singers, most of whom are not professional or full time singers, but just people that want to be part of creating a moment of magic together.
Tell us about your latest single; how it started, what it’s about, and anything else you’d like to share about it.
Our new single ‘Won’t Forget You’ is for all the people that we’ve missed during the pandemic. Best friends, family, that person on the dance floor.Seven years later and after a global phenomenon, we very much wanted to create a bit of a sequel to Love Tonight, using the same structure, medium and process but with a new and developed perspective and a new message for the world. Something using the same language, but telling a different story. We realise it’s quite similar to Love Tonight, in many ways, but that’s the point, we needed to follow up. It’s pure Shouse – another community message from our community of love and connection.
Why do you make music? What’s your great big ‘why’?
For us, music is all about an aim of creating moments of Communitas – The social purposes of Musicking (creating music together) dancing, moving and ritualising together are are a fundamental tool of maintaining and developing social harmony and relationships. Shouse aims to create moments of Communitas.
In the state of Communitas, social hierarchies dissolve, the weak become strong, the strong weak, and we are (temporarily) placed on an equal footing.
The rituals that lead to Communitas transgress and dissolve the norms that govern our daily, structured, and institutionalised relationships. In these shared ecstatic and potent moments we see people “in their wholeness”. Hierarchies dissolve and we feel an intense sense of connectedness and togetherness.
In the moment of Communitas people stand outside society. We step into these liminal spaces to experience a greater intensity than in normal life, but we also recognise that this state won’t last very long. It is a temporary experience that will eventually dissolve back into the structure of daily life. These are the parties and rituals we want to be a part of and create.
What we really want is not just for people to listen to our music, but to make music together, to sing and dance together with their community, about their ‘place’ and unique ways of seeing the world. Create Communitas together.
What’s something that you’re really excited about right now?
We really can’t wait until we can get back together with our communities and sing and dance together. We’re also really looking forward to heading across to the USA and Europe later this year, making and playing music and collaborating.
If we gained access to a few songs you have on repeat at the moment, what would we find?
We listen to a wide variety of music – from folk to jazz and dance. Many from our friends and collaborators. M8triarchy, Oscar Key Sung, Martin King, Jace XL, Harmony Byryne, Hunny Machete, Yay Blynn, Pillow Pro are definitely some to check out.
What’s something your fans don’t know about you, but you want to share with them?
Our message of Communitas and Musiking above! Jack’s a primary school music teacher and Ed works in community arts, we really want to progress these values we embed in this work through our music.
What does Apple Music’s support through Up Next mean to you?
We’re delighted to have the support! Thank you so much!
Babyface Mal
Check out The Crib Vol.1 by Babyface Mal:
Babyface Mal artist page on Apple Music.
What is one thing that has helped keep you going during the global pandemic?
At the beginning it was just like I didn’t really know what to do coz the fate of the music industry was pretty funny at the start and I saw a lot of people slacking off. Me personally I just thought look we may all die, but if we overcome it and stuff I’d rather be a superstar than just to have put my life on hold and be in the same position I was at. My motto is basically “why not.”
Take us through how you developed your music style?
Truly I try not to overthink it. I’m about vibes at the end of the day – music is art and art doesn’t always make clear sense and what not and I feel like people forget that. So with my broad musical taste and just my broad interests in general I think I come from a unique place when I write and naturally that’ll develop over time if I stay seeking knowledge like anyone else.
What do you see as your secret weapon when it comes to your music?
My influences for sure. I observe. I like learning and that so I been exposed to all sorts of things just naturally through life and out of just curiosity. Humanities was my favourite subject, like me I’m influenced by all of history.
Tell us about your latest single; how it started, what it’s about, and anything else you’d like to share about it.
My latest single is Click Click Click with my brother BBG Smokey. I just wanted to do something with a unique vibe so once I found the beat I knew Smokey would kill it. Me and Smokey both bring something different to the table but our styles compliment each other really well and blend effortlessly.
What are five attributes you think an artist needs to have in order to have career longevity in this music industry?
— Creativity would obviously be one of the most essential attributes for any artist to have especially for longevity. I guess that’s what differentiates one hit wonders from legends.
— Determination. Like anything in life if you wanna be successful you gotta be determined and work hard to get there. Some get lucky but chances are you won’t.
— You gotta be humble and ready to learn from anyone and anything.
— Artistry. As I said you gotta remember it’s art, it’s about the vibes, don’t get stuck in rules and regulations like even stating these 5 things feels funny to me coz in reality everyone’s unique so it’s really just about how you want to approach it.
— Confidence of course. Without confidence you’ll be second guessing yourself and as an artist I feel like that’s never a good thing. A lil bit of that is good because you’ll refine and develop but too much of that will cause you to stop pushing the boundaries and that’s where the longevity will fade away.
Why do you make music? What’s your great big ‘why’?
It’s always been one of my dreams amongst other things. I don’t really know, I’ve just always been drawn to it and the basics have just kind of come naturally to me. Obviously I’ve had to work hard and improve but yeah, since I started making music it’s just always been like wtf else am I gonna do. It just kinda feels right, but again it’s just vibes. Idk if it’s my “why” but I love how music can evoke certain emotions and feelings in people, that’s why I love movies too.
What’s something that you’re really excited about right now?
Man I’m excited that I’m making those around me excited for the future, I love that. I don’t really like to get too excited coz I’ve seen too much failure so I just keep working and do what I got to do. Although, I do have some big features on the way and a couple appearances on certain platforms that I think will be hectic. And like my new music is crazy if I do say so myself, so I’m dying to get all that out there.
If we gained access to a few songs you have on repeat at the moment, what would we find?
A few songs I got on rotation gotta be: Bandmanrill – I Am Newark, Kuttem Reese – FaceTime calls, Mixed Personalities by Melly and Kanye, and anything Kodak. But really what I’m listening to the most lately is Blondie, Heart and Madonna.What’s something your fans don’t know about you, but you want to share with them?
Something the fans may not know is I used to be a baller before rap. I played rep and all that but that didn’t work out coz of some complications so I dropped it. Also I want to do movies too. I’ve almost finished a feature length script and always have my ear out for things that can help me step into that field.
What does Apple Music’s support through Up Next mean to you?
Apple Music’s support is crazy to me. Like it’s Apple Music, that’s big. The recognition just kinda of reignites that fire to keep working and going strong, like I’m on the right path. It’s a good feeling, I don’t really know what to compare it to. It’s awesome.
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