Written by Roisin O'Connor

Hi gang, can you believe it's Friday already? Just two weeks into January and my formerly cleared inbox (*sobs) is full to bursting once more. But hey, it's full of EXCELLENT NEW MUSIC! So it could be worse. I'm excited to get stuck in the new year, because we have big things planned for The Independent's music section. You'll be spotting us at gigs (because they're coming back, yes they are), at festivals (those too), along with covering new albums, interviewing up-and-comers + some of the world's biggest artists, and all the awards ceremonies, too. There'll be more commentary on the pressing issues of the week, plus investigations, think-pieces and daily news coverage. And, of course, I'll continue to publish the Now Hear This newsletter, packed with the best new music, spotlight artist features, and roundups of the biggest and best bits from the week. Thanks very much to the nearly 10,000 of you who are now reading each Friday morning! Let's crack on.

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Guess the song from the emojis:

🌧️🌧️🌧️🚶♀️🌧️🌧️🌧️

See 'Heard it on the Grapevine' for the answer*

The music industry still faces a whole heap of obstacles to get back to where it was pre-pandemic. I spoke with industry leaders, artists, festival organisers, grassroots venue owners and fans to get a sense of where we're at, along with what needs to be done to return the live music scene to its former glory. You can read the article on The Independent website and in the app this Sunday!
I rounded up some of my favourite kiss-off songs (basically a breakup song for when you want to smash things up), You want catharsis? You want petty? You want to make your ex feel really, really bad? There's a soundtrack for that! Check it out here.
Elvis Costello has retired "Oliver's Army" from live performances and asked radio stations to stop playing it. The veteran artist defends his use of the slur "white n*****" (used in the past against the Irish) as historical fact, but says he'll stop performing the song before anyway accuses him of something he "didn't intend". Read my colleague Louis Chilton's thoughts on that decision here.
The "voice of all voices", Ronnie Spector, died aged 78, prompting a wave of tributes from fellow legends including Brian Wilson. “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humour and a smile on her face," her family said in a statement. “Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her.” Read Kevin E G Perry's touching tribute here.
Machine Gun Kelly got engaged to Megan Fox. Does anyone else recall a really annoying couple at school who couldn't pack in the PDAs? The one that made embarrassingly OTT declarations to each other, claimed to have drunk each other's blood, and insisted on wearing each other's clothes? Yeah, them. I give M&Ms a year and four months.

Samuel Taylor / Instagram: @thisissamueltaylorphoto

Spotlight on... Marie Naffah

Q. Hi Marie! Tell me about yourself

A. I’m a singer-songwriter from London. I’ve been doing music for as long as I can remember, from performing as a kid on a tiny karaoke box at home to writing my first ever song aged 14 (which I can assure you, was terrible).

I find music is a really great way of uniting people. It’s about finding a specific feeling or emotion, singing about it, and reminding other people about what we have in common. I first learned that with a song of mine called "Blindfold", which talked about my grandmother who had lost her sight. It was the first song I felt truly proud of, because it was a specific emotion that I felt, but that resonated with a wider audience.

Last year I released my EP Golden State, which I wrote on a sun-dashed road-trip up the West Coast of the States in January 2020. Of course, a lot has changed in the world since then. That EP combined classic songwriting with contemporary electronica, and hopefully gives the listener that feeling of the wind through your hair, of true freedom.

Since then, I’ve really found that new places conjure new feelings, and that’s a great way to write music. Songs become love letters to places you’ve visited, they build an emotional map for a listener so you can travel together through different moods such as yearning, anger, longing, escapism.

The new music coming out hopes to do this. To convey a sense of home, of places both real and aspirational, and the journey an artist and listener take together.

Q. What are the influences behind your music?

A. I always try to balance classic songwriting, inspired by the greats including The Beatles, Janis Joplin and Bernie Taupin, along with contemporary artists such as Bon Iver, Bleachers, and Leon Bridges. Some of my team have described my vocals as "Florence Winehouse" which is far too kind, but I think gives a sense of my sound.

"I Want More" is all about not settling for mediocrity. I would listen to Leonard Cohen after a day of recording and go back to my lyrics and say, "Nope, they’re not brave enough", before scribbling them out. I want the song to make people feel electricity, like they really want to buzz again. I guess a lot of us can relate to that right now.

Q. What do you have lined up for 2022?

A. I think I have been excited for 2022 since 2020! I’m pumped to be releasing lots more music and connecting with existing and new fans. There are a few things on the horizon that I can’t mention yet but to be honest, get me back on a stage – I’m so ready for the shows: the sweat of the crowds, the bright lights, the fast pulse…I’m ready.

In 2021, I had the slightly eccentric idea of trying to play 50 gigs in 50 days once restrictions had eased. The tour took me on an amazing journey around the UK, from gyms to office parties, vaccine clinics in Huddersfield to refugee centres in Middlesbrough. If 2022 can have even a slice of that excitement, I’ll be happy.

This latest track is the first of a new batch of music written on my travels throughout 2021. I’ve worked with some amazing people on it, who’ve collaborated with the likes of Amy Winehouse and Paloma Faith, and hopefully, the songs fuse their vocal power with a sense of adventure. In short, I want 2022 to be all about journeys, both for me personally but for my listeners too.

"I Want More" the first single from Marie Naffah's next EP Trains, is out on 21 January

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