Enter the alt.pop multiverse…
Ashnikko stars on the cover of the August issue of Music Week, as we tell a story that breaks new ground for the music industry. Right now, there’s no one doing it quite like Ashnikko, who is gearing up for the release of their debut album Weedkiller.
The gender fluid star emerged as a viral sensation in 2019 when Stupid took over TikTok, turning Ashnikko into a pioneer on the platform in the process. In the intervening time, she has racked up millions of streams and toured hard, all the while preparing to make a definitive opening statement with Weedkiller.
In our cover story, Ashnikko reveals all about the album, while Warner Records president Joe Kentish unveils Parlophone’s plans for the release and David Bianchi and George Shepherd of Various Artists Management reflect on the singer’s push to take on the mainstream and their latest 2023 blockbuster.
In The Music Week Interview, we catch up with Melvin Benn in the middle of his busiest time of the year to look ahead to Reading & Leeds Festivals. The Festival Republic MD talks representation, diversity and how the big businesses in the live sector can help solve the UK’s grassroots problem.
Also in our features section, Atlantic co-president Ed Howard is joined by Kevin Christian-Blair, Emily Kent, Joe Barbe and Cannelle Bencherqi from the major’s A&R team to reflect on their big Music Week Awards win. Howard unravels the process behind Ed Sheeran’s - (Subtract) album, while the four A&R executives reveal all about Atlantic’s talent nurturing process.
Music education expert, BPI chair and saxophonist YolanDa Brown has added another string to her bow with the opening of her new venue Soul Mama in London and, to celebrate, we profile the Women In Music Award winner to find out more.
Elsewhere, Mahalia, her manager Radha Medar and Atlantic’s Ed Howard lift the lid on the campaign for new album IRL, tracing the singer’s path from teenage major label signing to becoming the new face of UK R&B.
Finally in this month’s features section, we meet Cameron Leslie and team Fabric to talk dance music, club culture and the legendary venue’s continuing expansion into labels and publishing as the club approaches its 25th anniversary.
In Hitmakers, Little Mix’s ‘fifth member’ Kamille reflects on how the iconic break-up anthem Shout Out To My Ex came to life and sent the group to No.1.
The new edition of Mentor Me – a collaboration between Music Week and Girls I Rate –sees Photographer AmzyOBR serves up her Top 5 Tips on making it in the world of music photography.
In this month’s Aftershow, Ivors Academy Fellow and music legend Sting muses on songwriting, working with Shaggy and Las Vegas.
In The Big Story, Polydor president Ben Mortimer joins Silas Howison-Waughray and Paddy McLean to unveil the major’s plans for its new dance label imprint Chaos, which already has a huge hit in the shape of Jazzy’s Giving Me.
Also in news, we quiz senior UTA execs David Zedeck and Obi Asika on the agency’s London HQ and developing Afrobeats and UK rap stars, while in our latest Spotlight Q&A, Moon Projects founder Mary Rahmani talks supporting artists, forming a JV with Warner Chappell, and TikTok.
In the new On The Radar, 2023 Ivors Rising Star Victoria Canal opens up about beating imposter syndrome and her upcoming EP, while Making Waves sees emerging viral talent Paris Paloma talk TikTok and taking over the industry. Our Tastemaker is Deb Grant, a new arrival to the Music Week Award-winningBBC Radio 6 Music, while Sync Story focuses on a McDonald’s campaign with music from Kinck.
The new edition of Incoming sees producer duo Jungle open up about their fourth album Volcano.
In Rising Star,The N3xt Up founder, Back 2 Basics co-founder and manager Marley Azu-Jones shares his journey so far. We meet The Name Game’s founder Daisy Carberry in Start Me Up, while our podcast of the month is Cambridge Audio’s Made By Music.
In Mark Davyd’s Centre Stage column, the Music Venue Trust CEO calls out recent reports on the UK’s cultural sector to argue for better treatment of grassroots music venues.
And as ever, the expanded Archive section sees us flick through the pages of Music Week of yesteryear.
There’s all of this and our expanded monthly charts section, in which we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from July 17.
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PHOTO: Vasso Vu
