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Interviews & Features

GEM Magazine •

In Conversation with Mariae Cassandra

At just seventeen, Australian rising star and Triple J Unearthed High winner Mariae Cassandra is already shaping a world entirely of her own. Just over a month ago, she released her debut EP, ‘Everything In My Backpocket’ – the project is meant to feel like reaching into an old pair of jeans and finding fragments of past selves tucked inside, as all six songs were written between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. With roots in the Philippines and a growing artistic voice shaped in part by the d...
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Hidden GEMs: Zander

Zander is the name of a new up-and-coming indie musician, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from Leeds, now based in London. With the help of fellow Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts alumni Bob Mackenzie (James Blake, The 1975, SAULT, Daniel Caesar, Divorce + more), he released his new EP ‘No Silver’ on November 14th, which focused on the move from his working-class roots in Harrogate, Leeds to the big city to chase his dreams – something he is still working through as he is a...
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Hidden GEMs: Beauty School Dropout

After just having finished supporting Blink-182 on tour in the US, LA-born and bred new-gen rock band Beauty School Dropout (BSD) have finally released their highly anticipated debut album ‘WHERE DID ALL THE BUTTERFLIES GO?’. Yet, this is just the beginning of another buys time for the foursome, consisting of Colie Hutzler (vocals), Brent “Beepus” Burdett (bass), Bardo Novotny (producer/guitar), and Colton Flurry (drums), as they embark on a US headline tour to celebrate their release, and anoth...
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Hidden GEMs: Stan Pratt

Upcoming London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Stan Pratt officially released his sophomore single, ‘Dopamine Beast’, this week. The young maximalist pop artist, whose debut single ‘Je Ne Sais Qui’ was praised on BBC Introducing London, not only benefits from his online presence, especially on TikTok, but also from his musical upbringing and his science degree. Ahead of his new release, we sat down with Pratt to cover all things childhood, songwriting, Neuroscience, and artistic world-...
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Q&A with Katie Phelan

Leaving home to realise your dreams is a bittersweet change of lifestyle and routine that doesn’t come easy and needs a lot of adjusting – an experience the upcoming singer-songwriter Katie Phelan used as inspiration for her brand new dreamy EP ‘Blues and Greens’. The Irish native left behind her beloved seaside town to move to England’s busy capital and dive headfirst into her music career. Inspired by the likes of Billie Marten, Adrienne Lenker and Niamh Regan, Phelan reflects on her life-alte...
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Interview with Dhruv

Dhruv emerged into the international music scene in 2019 after his single ‘double take’ went viral. His music career has been skyrocketing since, having released his debut album ‘Private Blizzard’, toured multiple parts of the world and performed live on US and UK television at Jimmy Kimmel and Jools Holland in a matter of a year. We spoke to the London-born, Singapore-raised creative of Indian descent at the end of 2024 about how his multicultural upbringing impacted his music likings, how writ...
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Hidden GEMs: Claudia Kate

DIY singer-songwriter Claudia Kate has had a busy couple of years, from numerous live shows to her EP release, ‘How Sweet,’ and her BBC Radio 1 debut. The London-based indie-pop artist is an opinionated young woman who isn’t scared of singing or speaking about what she believes in. We talked to her about her household of music fans, her songwriting inspirations, and how friends and family impact her art.


Music has always been a big part of Claudia’s life: “At home, we always had music on, it...
GEM Magazine •

Hidden GEMS: Lyric

2025 is already a big year for Australian pop newcomer Lyric, as she released a brand new single ‘Make a Move’ last month, is about to embark on a UK & Ireland tour next month – with the London show already being sold out – and is currently working on a new EP. The 21-year-old singer is not only a songwriter but also a producer for her own songs, making her a triple threat and someone to look out for on the pop star horizon. We sat down with the creative on a Tuesday morning – for her the evenin...
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Interview with Kamille and Will Sass

Kamille has been a defining presence in the UK music scene for over a decade, penning hits for the likes of Little Mix and Mabel while building a solo career grounded in soul and empowerment. Born and bred New Yorker Will Sass, on the other hand, is still in his breakout phase — though you wouldn’t guess it from the polish of his production or the conviction in his sound. ‘Happiness’, a feel-good tune with a deeper, more personal meaning, marks their second collaboration after their previous rel...
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Hidden GEMS: Jack Dean

24-year-old multi-instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and once-in-a-generation vocalist Jack Dean unveils his brand new single ‘Angel’ today, which marks his second release off his debut album and was co-written and produced by Mike Needle (Tom Grennan, Niall Horan, Rag’n’Bone Man). These past few years, Dean has not only made a name for himself as a songwriter and producer for other UK artists – including Eden Rain, Caity Baser, and Henry Moodie – but also by showing off his strong vocal ski...
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Hidden GEMS: August James

Los Angeles-based August James is an aspiring indie singer-songwriter from Minnesota, whose brand-new EP is set to be launched in April. The first single, ‘Montana River Beds’ was released on January 31st and deals with the struggle of romantic distance, set in the American West. We sat down with James to chat about his musical journey, starting with his father’s bluegrass band and his mother’s piano playing, his early influences, such as Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga, and how he wants to emphasise...
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In Conversation with Valley

Canadian band Valley – consisting of lead singer Rob Laska, bassist Alex Dimauro, and drummer Karah James – has been releasing music for a decade now. Still, nothing has seemed quite as intimate and personal as their 2024 record ‘Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden’. The album explores topics of grief and resilience and also marks the group’s first project as a threesome after lead guitarist Michael “Mickey” Brandolino announced his departure last spring. This year, after having successfully fi...
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Hidden GEMS: Natasha Hunt Lee

Natasha Hunt Lee is a rising Los Angeles-born and bred singer/songwriter, whose strength lies in raw and honest storytelling paired with cathartic pop sounds. In the past couple of years she has released her debut album ‘The End of the World’, been placed on multiple playlists such as Spotify’s New Music Friday and Fresh Finds, featured in diverse magazines like The New York Times and NYLON and independently sold out her debut headline show in her hometown LA. On January 10th, Lee released her s...
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Hidden GEMS: Eden Rain

2024 has been a busy year for upcoming indie artist Eden Rain, who has released multiple singles, played numerous gigs, been recognised by BBC Radio 1, and dropped her third EP, ‘Anyway, how are you?’ just last week on November 15th. We sat down with the London-based creative to discuss her musical upbringing, her creative process of bringing visual ideas to life, and Eden Rain essentials.


Even before moving to London, the Yorkshire-raised artist was heavily impacted by music, as Eden thinks...
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In Conversation With Almost Monday

San Diego trio almost monday, consisting of lead singer Dawson Daugherty, guitarist Cole Clisby and bassist Luke Fabry, emerged from garage jams and DIY gigs right into the 2020’s indie pop music scene, with their catchy tunes and infectious energy that embodies a sunny day in California. The past few years have been particularly exciting for them, having released their debut EP, supported multiple artists and bands on tour, such as Kings of Leon, Dayglow, and The Regrettes, and played different...
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Interview with Áine Deane

London-based singer-songwriter Áine Deane first started gaining traction on TikTok in 2021 during the COVID lockdown, uploading covers and originals straight from her university bedroom out of boredom, which eventually resulted in almost 300k followers and being recognised by mainstream artists, such as Sam Smith, Little Mix and Ed Sheeran. She has since graduated, amassed over 6 million streams on Spotify, performed at multiple festivals, and supported some of her favourite artists live. In ant...
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Hidden GEMS: SOMOH

While 2023 was thoroughly successful for rising indie pop artist SOMOH, 2024 continues to take her to new heights with a first-ever sold-out headline show at London’s The Grace in March, while her latest EP ‘Problem Child’ was released on the same day as the concert and has been featured across multiple Spotify playlists, including the famous ‘New Music Friday UK’. We talked to the indie riser about her musical beginnings, her main inspirations and how she learned to embrace her queerness in her...
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Interview with Caity Baser

Ever since emerging from TikTok throughout the pandemic years, Caity Baser has become a pop staple to the UK music scene. Her ‘say it how it is’ approach to songwriting, together with her bubbly persona and recognisable Y2K fashion sense, has gained her an adoring Gen-Z fanbase and an ever-growing audience, on and offline. Baser’s latest and highly acclaimed mixtape ‘Still Learning’ was released in March, and we sat down with her to discuss all things music, girlhood, situationships and what she
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In Conversation with Blake Rose

Hailing from Australia and now rooted in Los Angeles, singer-songwriter Blake Rose has been captivating audiences with his music over the last few years, amassing a dedicated following on social media along the way. Drawing inspiration from the dual forces of love and heartbreak, he unveiled his latest EP, ‘Suddenly Okay,’ on March 22nd. In a candid conversation on a bleak Wednesday afternoon, Blake shared insights into how his mother’s passion for Elvis Presley subtly influenced his musical sty
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Exclusive Interview with Drax Project

After having toured the world in the past few years, with Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran, Lorde and more, New Zealand-born four-piece Drax Project recently released their sophomore album ‘Upside’ this November, which blends elements of pop, RnB and jazz-inspired sounds. Their creativity and attention to detail led them to become one of the biggest bands to ever come out of New Zealand and into the worldwide mainstream. We spoke to members Ben O’Leary and Sam Thomson about the potentially awkward fir
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Exclusive Interview with Peach PRC

Peach PRC, aka Sharlee Jade Curnow, Australia’s new pop sweetheart is on her way to take over the world with her sparkling pink fairy universe. The singer, whose artist name is a homage to Nintendo’s Princess Peach, first rose to fame on TikTok, captivating her audience with her quirky persona and her outspoken approach to mental health and queer sexuality, later on introducing them to her talent. In 2023, she released her first EP ‘Manic Dream Pixie’, embarked on her first world tour – with Lon
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Exclusive Interview with Henry Moodie

After the release of his debut single, ‘you were there for me’, in 2022, it’s only been going up for 19-year- old newcomer Henry Moodie. This year, the young artist supported The Vamps, Busted, Mimi Webb and Lauren Spencer Smith on tour across Europe and the UK, while releasing three more original songs and growing an adoring fanbase on social media. Over a long-distance Zoom call from Paris to London, Moodie shared his experiences of attending the music university BIMM, discussed his admiration
GEM Magazine •

Hidden GEMS: Natalie Shay

After a busy festival summer, having performed at Latitude Festival, Victorious Festival, SXSW Festival, and The Great Escape, North London newcomer Natalie Shay is back in the studio, working on her third EP ‘Champagne’, set to be released next year. Excited about her most recent single ‘Figure of 8’, which was released on October 6th and deals with being trapped in an unhealthy relationship, we spoke to Shay about her early beginnings at BRIT school, the unexpected heartbreak of losing friends
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Interview with Kamille

Kamille has been a part of the music industry for over 10 years, became one of the most successful songwriters in pop music, has won a BRIT, a Grammy and an Ivor Novello Award for her outstanding work on other artists’ projects — and has now finally decided to step into the spotlight as an artist herself to release her debut album K1. The album was written, produced, mixed and mastered by the Londoner creative independently and while she was expecting her first child. We sat down with the multif
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