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- Dec 1, 2021

Music | 2021 | Playlist

Well 2021 has, much like 2020, been quite a year. Another very unpredictable year with more lockdowns and more pandemic blues. Working from home has become the norm for most, and again with such an abundance of great music to choose from, deciding on these final 20 tracks to make up my end of year playlist was very difficult. Every one of the tracks that I have chosen could easily be listened to on repeat, and these are my absolute favourite tracks from the past 12 months. They are all more than deserved of featuring on my Spotify Music 2021 Playlist. So have a listen and have a watch to the following 20 tracks and videos, all of which are from independent artists, and whether you like them all or just a few, please click on the links I have provided to give a follow or a like to your favourites, to support these incredible musicians, especially now more than ever during these ongoing and very uncertain times.

Amelia Moore - sweet and sour

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Moore is a 20-year-old Georgia native. Her debut track sweet and sour, released in October 2021, is an intoxicating first glimpse into Moore’s untamed imagination and overall mission as an artist. As with a few of the artists on my playlist, I discovered Amelia late in the year with the release of this track. With her debut EP due to be released during 2022, Amelia Moore is definitely an artist to watch.

Anna Shoemaker - Sick!

Philadelphia-born and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Anna Shoemaker is another one of my new music discoveries this year. Her indie-pop track Sick! was released in September 2021 and due to this, was another track that I discovered late into the year. It was however instantly going to feature on my end of year playlist. With Anna's debut album due out in Spring 2022, she is definitely going to be another artist to watch, heading into the new year.

A.VJU - Lost With You

A.VJU is German singer-songwriter Anna Lachhammer, and as with the previous artists and tracks on my playlist, Lost With You was another late discovery for me in 2021, with it being released in late October. It was certainly a strong year for new music discoveries, and this was no exception. I would definitely recommend adding A.VJU to your playlists and going into 2022, I am really looking forward to hearing more new music being released by A.VJU.

Buel - Small Talk

There is always that one track you hear during the year that makes you think to yourself that you need to start planning and prepping your end of year playlist. Small Talk by Buel, which was released in July, was that track for me. Los Angeles based Buel is maybe one of my most listened to artists of 2021, certainly for the second half of the year anyway. A very strong and possible contender for my track of the year, in what was a year full of incredible new music.

Chiara Dubey - Stranger

Chiara Dubey is a Swiss singer-songwriter, composer, violinist, and producer who merges modern classical elements with electro-art pop. There is something about the sound and feel of Chiara's music that just hooks you in. Stranger, which was released in July 2021, was another track that was instantly going to be on my end of year playlist. With a debut album, Constellations, already under her belt, Chiara is another artist you should have on repeat.

Emma McGann - Teary Eyed

Emma McGann is a British singer-songwriter, musician and online live-streamer who you can find performing originals and covers over on Twitch and YouNow. Teary Eyed, released in October, was written by Emma and produced by Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and it's the first of two Mike Shinoda produced tracks to feature on my playlist. I would definitely suggest that you check out one of Emma's live music streams on Twitch via the direct link below.

Etaoin - I Dare You

Etaoin is an Irish singer-songwriter based in London. I Dare You, taken from her amazing debut EP, Bedroom Walls, was released in the earlier part of 2021, and if the 4 tracks on the EP are anything to go by, then looking ahead and into the new year, any new music from Etaoin will be highly anticipated. Definitely another artist to watch, so click on those links below and follow, subscribe, then add the tracks to your playlists, and play them on repeat.

The Eves - Brand New Day

Scottish pop duo The Eves are Caroline Gilmour and Marissa Keltie. Brand New Day, which was released in April, was featured on a few BBC Radio 2 shows, and I remember we used to hear it ourselves each morning on the Ken Bruce show, where I think it was on the 'New to 2' feature. It was also featured as the single of the week on BBC Radio Scotland, and it really is just such a great track. It is one of those tracks that you will find yourself playing on repeat.

Gefahrgeist - Parasites

Gefahrgeist are a Scottish electronic pop duo who have created an unusually dark yet pop sound by combining Fiona Liddell's sensational vocals and songwriting with Niall Rae's innovative production and arrangement. Parasites is their 3rd track, and it was released in April 2021, and if you have not heard of Gefahrgeist before, then you really are in for a treat with this. They have a new track, which is due out shortly after this blog post gets published.

HEZEN - So We Happen

Sarah Hezen is an award-winning French music producer and singer-songwriter now based in London. So We Happen was HEZEN's first track to be released after lockdown, and speaking of which, it really is worth checking out both of the Eggs Quarantine 'Cooking With Hezen' episodes on YouTube, which feature a very humourous cooking section, followed by a music performance. HEZEN's track The Girl You Want will feature in upcoming BBC thriller Chloe.

Isla Noon - Talk About Us

New Zealand musician and singer-songwriter Isla Noon is yet another very recent new music discovery for me, although this track Talk About Us was released back in July. It was my first introduction to her music, and is very deserved of a place on my end of year playlist. Isla has just recently released a new track, at the end of November, called I Need To Go Home, and as with all the artists on my playlist, I'm looking forward to more new music from her in 2022.

Jordan Michelle - Tear me Down

Jordan Michelle is a pop-rock artist based in Los Angeles. Combining a wide spectrum of influences from Gwen Stefani to Green Day, she packs powerful vocals with full-fledged punk energy. Tear me Down is Jordan Michelle's debut track, and it was released at the beginning of November. Another very recent new music discovery for me, and a great track, that went straight into my end of year playlist. It is also another track that you have to play on repeat.

Kintsuku - Enough

Kintsuku is singer-songwriter and live-streaming musician from Manchester in the UK. She actively live streams music on Twitch and is currently writing her debut album. Kintsuku's music is described as atmospheric pop and cinematic electro, sprinkled with some darker, harder-hitting electronic elements. Enough was written by Kintsuku and produced by Mike Shinoda, and it is the second of those Mike Shinoda produced tracks to make my playlist.

Liz Cass - Killers

British singer-songwriter Liz Cass is known for her melancholic sultry tones and her emotive style of writing. Killers, the lead single from her highly anticipated debut album, was released in November and has already received support from BBC Music Introducing in London. It is another very recent new music discovery for me, in a year of many new music discoveries, and as with the previous ones, is very deserved of it's place in my Music 2021 Spotify playlist.

Melissa Lamm - 3AM

Melissa Lamm is an independent singer, songwriter, and producer based in Toronto, Canada. Her music has collectively earned over 300,000 streams on Spotify. A self-taught producer and classically trained pianist, Melissa can be found frequently performing online via Twitch to her 20,000 followers. 3AM was released at the beginning of November but will not be Melissa's final track of 2021, with new track Goodbye, due out after I publish this blog post.

Might be Vero - Let me hide

26-year-old singer-songwriter Might be Vero, is originally from southern Germany, but has been based in Berlin since 2021, after studying music in Freiburg. Authentic lyrics, a buttery-smooth voice and an acoustic-jazz sound make up Vero's music, and she finds her inspiration in stories and experiences. Let me hide is her debut track, released in November, and taken from her upcoming debut EP Something with Light, which is due for release in December.

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Mysie - Keep Up With Your Heart

Ivor Novello Rising Star Award winner Mysie is an indie-soul singer-songwriter from London. Drawing on strong influences from throughout her life; from Soul legends such as Alicia Keys, Chaka Khan and Sadé, through to a more alternative scene of J Dilla, Thundercat and Flying Lotus, into contemporary peers like Sampha and Moses Sumney. Keep Up With Your Heart is taken from her incredible Undertones EP which was released back in May this year.

Softcult - Perfect Blue

Softcult is the grunge shoegaze dreampop indie duo of twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn. Their track Perfect Blue, released at the end of November, is the newest addition to my 2021 playlist, and they are also one of my most recent new music discoveries. The track is taken from their upcoming Year Of The Rat EP, and it was yet again another of those tracks, that as soon as I heard it, I knew it was going to feature on my end of year playlist.

Sophia Alexa - House of Cards

Sophia Alexa is half-American, half-German, grew up in Amsterdam, but now lives in London. After spending years at her kitchen table playing guitar and writing songs for family, with influences including the likes of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, her debut track House of Cards was finally released in October this year. With a debut EP to follow, Sophia Alexa is definitely going to be another artist to keep an eye on as we head into a new year of music.

Zoë Wren - The Deep

Zoë Wren started out as a London underground busker, and now has a debut album as well as BBC Radio 2 airplay and an appearance on The One Show under her belt. You can also find Zoë live streaming her original music and covers on Twitch. The Deep was released in October 2021, and as with the other Twitch music streamers who feature on this playlist, I would very highly recommend that you do make some time to catch them performing live.

Here is my Spotify Playlist with the 20 Tracks chosen from the music released during 2021:

Here is a direct link which will open up the Playlist in a web browser: Spotify Playlist

Thank you so much for having a read through my Music 2021 Playlist blog post. Hopefully you will have had a listen to each of the 20 tracks and also watch the videos. If you do like any of the tracks or any of the music or artists featured, please do click on the links that I have included for each of them which will take you to their socials, their websites, and to more of their music for your listening and viewing pleasure. Also please check out our 10FROM10 Blog Series via the link below, where we ask a series of 10 questions to 10 different artists and content creators in each part. So far we have featured a variety of Twitch music and gaming streamers, as well as both Scottish and Irish independent singer-songwriters, bands, and musicians. The format of this series is to keep each post to just 10 contributors. Further details are in the link below to see which 10 we've featured each time.

#20Tracks #SpotifyPlaylist #Music2021Playlist #SingerSongwriters #IndependentArtists