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You can’t tear it up by 50mething

Abdelrahman Khaled
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You can’t tear it up by 50mething

Ealing-based artist 50mething, aka Paul Jenner, released “You Can’t Tear It Up” back in January, inspired by a BBC documentary about the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. It’s a song about digital permanence – the idea that once something is out there, there’s no negative to destroy, no way to take it back. Heavy subject matter. The kind of thing that could easily become a grim, preachy listen in the wrong hands.

Musically, the song is almost whimsical in its presentation, which makes the eventual shock and realisation of what the song is actually talking about all the more potent. The rhythm is bouncy and super danceable, the harmony is catchy, and the pop-style hooks keep the song in your ear for a long time. The production quality is remarkable too – not just the arrangement, every layer of this rhythm section pops and feels alive. 

Mixed and mastered by Sefi Carmel, there’s a hybrid groove running through it that feels both human and mechanical, which is exactly right for a song about intimacy colliding with technology. The nod to Todd Rundgren’s playful, layered production sensibility is real, and it works.

The catchiness is the whole point. Paul Jenner is using it against you – you’re moving before you’ve fully clocked what you’re moving to. “You Can’t Tear It Up” is a modern cautionary tale that trusts the listener enough to let the contrast do the heavy lifting.

Monique Grimme Releases Soulful New Single “Honey Gold”

Sistra News Team
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Monique Grimme Releases Soulful New Single “Honey Gold”

Frelinghuysen, New Jersey – Bongo Boy Records is pleased to announce the release of “Honey Gold,” the latest single from acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and creative visionary Monique Grimme. Now available on all major streaming platforms, this evocative track masterfully blends the smooth rhythms and melodies of Bossa Nova with heartfelt warmth and soul, exploring the nuanced and often contradictory meanings behind the word “honey.”

Inspired by the duality of “honey” as both a sweet natural substance produced by bees and a term of endearment, the song delves into the complexities that frequently accompany sweetness in life and relationships. Grimme reflects on why the term evokes such universal affection when those who create it — and those we call by that name — are not always as sweet as imagined. The result is a deeply personal and emotionally resonant piece that invites listeners to consider the layers beneath surface-level tenderness.

“‘Honey Gold’ emerged from a late-night spark of inspiration and was refined through dedication and creative exploration,” notes Grimme. The track’s passionate rhythms and melodies are infused with the warmth and soul characteristic of Bongo Boy Records’ signature sound.

Production and Credits

  • Vocals, Songwriting, Composition, Arrangement, and Production: Monique Grimme
  • Mixing and Mastering: Sapphire Star Studios and Bongo Boy Records
  • UPC: 991043043911
  • ISRC: USPXQ2630301
  • Catalog Number: LR-3051212

An official music video accompanies the release, offering a visual interpretation that captures the song’s passion while providing deeper insight into the true nature of “honey.”

Night Wolf + Lois Powell Release Haunting New Single “Lost My Way Home” on EscaVolt Records

Sistra News Team
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Night Wolf + Lois Powell Release Haunting New Single “Lost My Way Home” on EscaVolt Records

Night Wolf and Lois Powell, a serendipitous duo from Bedford and Norfolk, England, unveil their evocative original single “Lost My Way Home,” marking the inaugural release on Night Wolf’s newly founded label, EscaVolt Records. This cinematic trip-hop track blends Night Wolf’s atmospheric production with Lois Powell‘s haunting, ethereal vocals, delving into themes of acceptance and resilience amid personal turmoil.

Night Wolf, hailing from the town of Luton and now based in Bedfordshire, met Lois Powell at a local open mic night. Recognizing her unique vocal talent, he invited her to collaborate on “Lost My Way Home,” a song he had initially written lyrics for but realized needed a voice beyond his own. Despite the distance, Lois has since relocated to Norfolk—their creative synergy has flourished, resulting in this raw, honest debut and ongoing projects, including their follow-up “Death of the Wolf.”

“I was working through my own problems in life and decided, like many, to write a song about it,” shares Night Wolf. “It’s about finally accepting the current situation I have put myself into, it’s about letting go just enough to realise that you have to fight on or just curl up in a ball and die. Lost My Way Home’s title dictates the feel of this song.”

Recorded at Night Wolf‘s home studio, the process was intimate and experimental. Lois brought her own interpretation to the lyrics, elevating the track’s emotional depth. “This is always a test when you write a song and the lyrics and hear how you want it in your head before getting someone else to sing it,” Night Wolf adds. “Lois was able to bring her own take on my ideas and really brought to life this song. This lead to us co-writing our next song, ‘Death of the Wolf‘ so we both had much more shared input.”

No specific influences spring to mind for this release, as it was born from a deeply personal feeling and life experiences. However, Night Wolf‘s style, blending genres into his own take, draws subconsciously from a lifetime of musical exploration. This release stands out as their first collaboration and the launch of EscaVolt Records, signifying Night Wolf‘s shift from previous partnerships with Italian publishers Flipper Music, Deneb Records, and Barry Music, where he released 9 albums since 2018.

Looking ahead, the duo plans to shoot and edit a music video for “Lost My Way Home” before pursuing venue and festival opportunities. While focused on TV/film/game sync placements and building an album’s worth of material, they remain open to live offers, with Night Wolf dreaming of performing the track with a live orchestra one day.

“Lost My Way Home” is now available on all major streaming platforms, inviting listeners to resonate with its honest portrayal of struggle and perseverance.

About Night Wolf

Night Wolf is a UK-based producer, sound designer, and engineer specializing in cinematic, trip-hop, and alternative music with a focus on mood and storytelling. His compositions span genres including Trip Hop/Hip Hop, Dark Ambient, Classical/Cinematic, Pop, and Minimalism. With credits in film/TV placements like Netflix’s “El Club,” Channel 4’s Paralympic Games, Sky Atlantic, NFL, MLB, and the “Essex Boys Retribution” trailer, his work has reached global audiences.

About Lois Powell

Originally from the Herts and Beds border and now based in Norfolk, Lois Powell writes and performs with unguarded vulnerability. BBC Introducing has championed her voice for its delicacy and truth. Her music is haunting, ethereal, and deeply honest—often intense and a little sad, but always real. Her goal is for listeners to feel seen, and creativity is an unstoppable force within her.

GROOVE AND DEVOTION!

Cherine Abulwafa
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GROOVE AND DEVOTION!

On Umada, Great Adamz steps into a deeper, more atmospheric space, merging his Afrobeat warmth with Manuel Riva’s expansive melodic house production. The result is a track that feels instinctive rather than engineered, a collaboration where groove leads, and emotion follows naturally. From the very first low pulse, Umada by Great Adamz signals intention: this is not just a dance record, but an experience built on rhythm, breath, and release.

The production unfolds with patience. A dark Afro House spine carries the track forward, steady and grounding, while shimmering synth textures slowly widen the emotional frame. Nothing feels rushed. Instead, Manuel Riva allows the space to breathe, giving Great Adamz room to inhabit the groove rather than fight against it. The hook,  “Umada bebé, fuego de mi sangre… tú me das el aire,”  becomes hypnotic through repetition. The language is elemental, almost ritualistic. Fire and air. Blood and oxygen. Adamz keeps it simple, and that simplicity is powerful.

Vocally, Great Adamz sounds centered and assured. There is warmth in his tone, but also restraint. He doesn’t overpower the production; he moves within it, trusting the rhythm to carry the emotional weight. When the track builds, it doesn’t erupt in excess. It ascends. The drop feels less like a dramatic climax and more like a collective exhale, the kind shared on a dancefloor at sunrise.

With Umada, Great Adamz proves that growth doesn’t have to be loud to be impactful. The track expands his sonic world while staying true to his identity. In Umada, Great Adamz finds the sweet spot between groove and devotion, and it feels both primal and elevated at once!

FROM SIRENS TO SYNTHS!

Cherine Abulwafa
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FROM SIRENS TO SYNTHS!

With “Skin & Bones,” SHAB delivers one of her most emotionally charged releases to date, a commercial pop anthem born from a moment of real-life terror. The track transforms a deeply personal crisis into a shimmering, contemporary pop statement. In “Skin & Bones,” SHAB revisits the night she learned her partner had been critically injured in a devastating car accident, turning shock and fear into rhythm and release.

The opening line, “I heard your siren, won’t you take me to the sound,” immediately places the listener inside that suspended moment between panic and prayer. There is no theatrical exaggeration here; the vulnerability feels lived-in. Yet instead of allowing the song to sink into ballad territory, SHAB builds upward. The verses carry a tremble, but the pre-chorus begins to lift, “Real, I feel so real with you,”  as though grounding herself through connection. The emotional shift is subtle but powerful: fear slowly gives way to faith.

The remix by Grammy-winning producer Damon Sharpe reframes that intimacy within luminous synths and driving beats. Known for his work with global pop heavyweights like Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande, Sharpe understands how to engineer uplift without erasing depth. The drop hits with euphoric force, but SHAB’s voice remains the emotional anchor: soaring yet fragile, polished yet undeniably human. The dance-floor energy doesn’t dilute the story; it amplifies its catharsis.

Lyrically, “Skin & Bones” circles around devotion stripped to its essence. “Link your soul, I’ll keep it safe with me,” she sings, reducing love to something elemental. The phrase “skin and bones” becomes symbolic, a reminder of how quickly life can be reduced to its most fragile state, and yet, the chorus insists on connection as salvation. Without the other, we are incomplete. Without love, we are hollow.

The music video deepens this narrative. SHAB performs directly to the camera, her gaze steady but shadowed by memory, while intercut scenes of flashing emergency lights and staged wreckage recreate the chaos that inspired the song. As the remix intensifies, the visuals shift from panic to quiet reverence.

What makes “Skin & Bones” stand out in SHAB’s growing catalog is its emotional architecture. The track doesn’t deny trauma; it moves through it. In doing so, SHAB proves her ability to transform personal upheaval into universal resonance. From sirens to synths, from fear to fierce gratitude, SHAB shapes “Skin & Bones” into more than a pop single; she turns it into a testament to resilience!

FROM THE EDGE OF SURVIVAL!

Cherine Abulwafa
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FROM THE EDGE OF SURVIVAL!

AC Scott’s interpretation of The Ballad of Lucy Jordan is not merely a revisit; it is a reckoning. And importantly, it arrives not as an EP statement, but as a song that carries the emotional weight of an entire life behind it.

Originally performed by Dr Hook & The Medicine Show and immortalised by Marianne Faithfull, Lucy Jordan has long lived in that rare space between narrative and wound. Scott approaches it from elsewhere entirely, not from admiration alone, but from recognition.

Her version, stripped to voice and piano, resists drama. Instead, it leans into stillness. The delivery feels less like performance and more like recollection, as though the song is being remembered rather than sung. Where previous renditions framed Lucy as an observer of quiet despair, Scott’s phrasing subtly shifts the axis inward. This is not a portrait; it is an inhabiting.

What gives this interpretation its quiet force is Scott’s own lived proximity to fragility. After stepping away from a celebrated broadcasting career due to life-threatening lung collapses, breath itself became uncertain. That history lingers here not as spectacle, but as texture. Each line feels both measured as well as earned.

The result is a version that does not attempt to rival Faithfull’s legacy, but gently reframes the song for a different emotional terrain: one shaped by interruption, endurance, and return. In Scott’s hands, Lucy Jordan becomes less about escape, and much more about both strength and survival..

No More Ghosts by Maddox Jones

Abdelrahman Khaled
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No More Ghosts by Maddox Jones

Maddox Jones has been building quietly and consistently since his debut EP ‘Headspace’ hit #4 on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter chart back in 2020. Before going solo, he’d already lived a full first act with The Departure – four Top 40 hits, Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, sharing stages with The Killers and Placebo. The solo chapter has been no less busy, with a #1 on the Music Week Black Music Club Chart and a stint supporting Will Young on tour. “No More Ghosts” was released on January 29th and marks his first new music since the release of his second album, “Waiting for the World to Turn.” It’s a reimagining of the closing track from ‘Headspace’ – six years on, rebuilt from the ground up.

The production quality here is great, and the song has that pop polish that’s hard to fake. The original was a stripped-back ballad, and this version swaps that out for pulsing synths and a dance-leaning synthpop arrangement that actually suits the song’s emotional arc better than you’d expect. The various sonic elements of the song come together to create an atmosphere that’s more than the sum of its parts, and it’s what carries the song. 

The arrangement brings the emotional center of the song front and center rather than burying it under the new production sheen. The hooks land cleanly, and there’s a real sense of lightness to it that the 2020 version didn’t have. It sounds like someone who’s made peace with something. With a European tour supporting Tyler Hilton and Katie Voegele coming in April, “No More Ghosts” feels like the right way to open a new chapter.

King Paul Drops Purpose-Driven Reggae Single “Jim Brown”

Sistra News Team
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King Paul Drops Purpose-Driven Reggae Single “Jim Brown”

Independent reggae/world music artist King Paul unleashes his bold new single “Jim Brown” under his Libra Nation label, anchoring a cinematic rollout designed to elevate hearts and minds. Available now on all major streaming platforms, the track delivers message-forward energy with themes of love, respect, order, resilience, and triumph—rooted in King Paul‘s journey from Jamaica to Jamaica Queens and beyond.

King Paul, a purpose-led artist with roots in Kingston and a coming-of-age in Jamaica Queens, bridges island tradition with city pressure. His music is message-driven—uplift, faith, resilience, and community—delivered with a voice that feels lived-in, not manufactured. From Afghanistan to Wall Street, music has remained his heartbeat, shaping lyrics that provide a framework for overcoming obstacles. “Jim Brown” embodies this ethos, offering bold identity and poetic content to restore balance in culture.

“I’m here with intent to elevate the heart and minds of all people with passionate intellectual, poetic content,” shares King Paul. “Real lyrics shaped from a real soldier and a professional. From Afghanistan to Wall Street, music remained my heartbeat. So the message of love, respect, and order is how I speak. I’m sure I can help guide our culture and world forward – from Jamaica to Jamaica, Queens, and beyond. My songs provide the framework of how to overcome all forms of obstacles in life. I will express multiple layers of pain and triumph. As an independent artist, I appreciate all the support. The momentum is strong. Respect and light.”

This release launches King Paul‘s current run, built to travel across playlists, live rooms, and culture-driven outlets. Following “Jim Brown,” fans can anticipate “Take Me Away” on February 27, expanding the emotional range while continuing the momentum.

“Jim Brown” is now streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and more. For playlists and press, use the tagline: “Purpose-led reggae/world music from Jamaica to Jamaica Queens – built on love, respect, order, and resilience.”

About King Paul

King Paul is an independent reggae/world music artist under Libra Nation, known for his passionate, intellectual, poetic content. With a story spanning Jamaica to Jamaica, Queens, his work centers on love, respect, order, resilience, and triumph. His music is built on faith, perseverance, and truth, carrying the spirit of uplift: crown on, prayers up, pressure down. This is music for the resilient—family, community, and purpose.

Böitaari Unveils “Papel”: A Groundbreaking Fusion of Bachata and Egyptian Shaabi Exploring Emotional Performance

Sistra News Team
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Böitaari Unveils “Papel”: A Groundbreaking Fusion of Bachata and Egyptian Shaabi Exploring Emotional Performance

In her latest single, “Papel,” artist, songwriter, and producer Böitaari dives into a sonic exploration that defies both geographical and emotional boundaries. This groundbreaking sonic encounter merges the Caribbean groove of Bachata with the raw, street energy of Egyptian Shaabi, narrating the moment a sentimental script finally crumbles and reveals the “performance” that often underlies emotional relationships.

“Papel” transcends the song format to become a dissection of love as a staged performance. Under a melodramatic aesthetic, the work delves into emotional manipulation and the jealousy of “el galán” (the leading man) in his attempt to win back the protagonist. This narrative is articulated through a musical composition—collaborating with her sister, Beatriz—that shuns the conventional. This organic hybridization is a direct extension of Böitaari’s work as a producer and researcher dedicated to Afro-diasporic and Mediterranean sounds. The fusion isn’t an ornament; it is a technical language used to dissect the “paper script” of a failing relationship. By blending the drama of Bachata with the grit of Cairo’s urban sound, Böitaari creates a sophisticated, high-end production that transcends “world music” tropes—a danceable, raw anthem of detachment designed for the global dancefloor, backed by the authority of a leader in Global South musical documentation.

With a groundbreaking fusion of global sounds, Böitaari takes listeners on a sonic journey fueled by innovation and intense emotion. Her eclectic, vibrant, and sultry style is a masterclass in cultural storytelling, celebrating Bubi culture alongside Afro-Latin grooves, Caribbean rhythms, and Mediterranean melodies. As a multi-instrumentalist and producer, Böitaari’s versatility allows her to weave a unique narrative that is both technical and deeply raw. Each song becomes a high-end experience that forces you to feel the rhythm in your body and the multilingual depth of her lyrics in your heart.

This proposal positions Böitaari at the vanguard of alternative Afro-diasporic music, where genre hybridization does not act as an ornament, but as a technical and raw language used to narrate complex realities.

About Böitaari

BÖITAARI (Rebeca Ango Bueriberi) is an artist, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist born and raised in Madrid and based in England. Her name is not an artistic invention: it is her traditional name in the Bubi language, meaning “female leader.” With Equatorial Guinean heritage from her parents and roots extending to Cameroon, Sierra Leone, and Cuba, her work reclaims Africanidad and Black identity through the Spanish language, projecting an identity that claims its space in the global narrative without asking for permission.

Her journey in the arts began at age 7 as a child model in the “Miss Bisila 2004” show. At age 9, she undertook comprehensive training covering guitar, singing, painting, poetry, and theatre, in addition to studying the Bubi language, traditional Katyá dance, and urban dance. This multidisciplinary foundation led her to produce and sing professionally at age 12. This technical precocity now allows her to lead her career through her own label, Bilëbbó Fusión. Within this ecosystem, she also drives Böitaapedia, an archive dedicated to documenting the music of the Global South with a special emphasis on Africa and its diaspora. As Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking country on the continent, this project was born to generate knowledge in Spanish and fill the information void that is often restricted to English, French, Portuguese, or Arabic.

Böitaari’s universe is built from the organic integration of Afro-diasporic, Latin, and Mediterranean traditions. Her productions articulate a unique language where avant-garde jazz and doo-wop coexist with kompa, bossa nova, or flamenco twinned with Bubi music; a sonic framework where merengue dialogues with soukouss, reggae with Maghrebi influences, and cumbia sonidera with kizomba, alongside occasional electronic experimentation. Singing in Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, and Bubi, her music compels the listener to sharpen their ear to distinguish the deep cultural layers inhabiting every piece.

A WORLD UNSEEN, FINALLY HEARD!

Cherine Abulwafa
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A WORLD UNSEEN, FINALLY HEARD!

South Wales singer-songwriter Jenna Kearns closes the chapter of her forthcoming EP with “My World Don’t Look Like Yours,” an up-tempo contemporary pop release that feels both striking and deeply personal. Known for her raw emotional honesty, Jenna steps into brighter sonic territory here, without abandoning the vulnerability that defines her artistry.

Co-written and produced with Ryan Bickley, the mind behind her most-streamed track “Cards I’ve Been Dealt,” this single pulses with rhythmic urgency. The production carries a confident forward motion: clean percussion, swelling synth layers, and a chorus that lands with clarity rather than chaos. It’s pop, yes, but purposeful pop. The kind that doesn’t just ask to be heard; it insists.

Jenna addresses the isolating reality of chronic illness and invisible disability. “My world don’t look like yours” becomes more than a statement: it’s a boundary, a plea, and a declaration of difference all at once. She captures the unpredictability of symptoms, the exhaustion that never quite leaves, and the quiet frustration of being misunderstood. Yet there’s no self-pity here. Instead, resilience threads through every line.

Fans who discovered her after “Time Has Passed” featured on Dance Moms will recognize the emotional transparency, but this track feels bolder. It complements the other songs on the EP while offering something sonically elevated and rhythmically alive.

What makes “My World Don’t Look Like Yours” powerful is its balance: it validates unseen struggles while remaining radio-ready. Jenna isn’t just telling her story; she’s amplifying the stories of those who feel overlooked, and if this is the final chapter of the EP, it’s a confident one. Honest. Uplifting. and absolutely necessary!

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