#Roundup: Cannon, Kev Kelly, Kiid Spyro, and Tim North
It’s hard to find fresh new music without spending hours searching. Here are a few we found recently that might end up on your playlist.
Cannon - College Friends
"when I graduated from college, I found myself worrying about whether I was sacrificing too much time chasing my goals to spend time with my friends or sacrificing too much time with my friends to chase my goals. I soon came to realize that in trying to be two places at once, I ended up nowhere. Part of the process of graduating and growing up for me has been learning how to decide where to allocate my time."
Cannon is a 24-year-old artist from South Carolina. He has been a writer at heart from an early age, fascinated with words and how they connect us to our surroundings. He began to develop his sound through recording himself in his dorm room at Boston College, drawing on his acoustic guitar and the hip-hop/R&B he bonded over with his friends to create a unique, organic blend of rhythms.
Cannon’s debut single “Water Glass” has amassed over 7 million streams on Spotify from word of mouth marketing alone. He has performed as the opening act for artists like Jon Bellion, Gavin DeGraw, and Hunter Hayes, and as a headliner at venues in Boston and New York. He has gained a significant following on TikTok, going viral for sampling his baby nephew and his broken laptop in a song, a video that Zane Lowe called “a moving and poignant tribute to an old friend.”
Cannon continues to develop as an artist through producing his own music, designing his cover art and merch, and working with a host of talented collaborators in New York and LA. He is now based in Brooklyn, NY as he prepares for his upcoming project release.
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Kev Kelly - Tilt
Still red hot after the recent release of his single “Royal Blue,” which hit Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist, puckish pop singer/songwriter Kev Kelly is back with his newest single “Tilt.” “Tilt” is the third single from Kelly’s two-part EP, THIS MIGHT ESCALATE…AND THEN COLLAPSE. Part One of THIS MIGHT ESCALATE…AND THEN COLLAPSE officially drops on June 3.
“Tilt is about the first job I ever had,” shares Kelly.
“I was a lifeguard at a country club in Kentucky. The members were mostly young families and seemed to have what I guess you would consider ‘new money.’ It was a pretty conservative place; so, I was shocked to find out after my second week that it was basically a swingers club. I noticed the parents of kids I went to school with - their dads would come off the course and leave with Mrs. Jones and Mr. Jones would take their mom out for ‘dinner.’ I couldn’t help but think, Damn, church on Sunday must be awkward for these people. Body of Christ indeed. Anyway, don’t text me asking if this song is about your family. If the shoe fits…”
This Might Escalate…And Then Collapse is a full story, told in two parts. The story of a night out and the songs that soundtrack it. The story begins with a good time and inevitably ends in a blur. It’s a journey that goes from light to dark, whether that’s a day or seasons or years.
Witty, raw, and undeniably clever, Kelly delivers catchy tracks with massive commercial appeal. With the anticipation surrounding his forthcoming EP, it’s clear that Kelly will continue making music and his star will continue to rise. That’s a good thing for all of us, but especially for Kelly. Because, as he will tell you, “I’m not all that great at doing anything else.”
Kelly burst onto the music scene in 2020 with the release of his debut EP Saint KDK V. Listeners instantly resonated with Kelly’s one-of-a-kind sound, which showcases both his caustic wit and his refreshing vulnerability. His song “Everything’s on Fire” was chosen as an American Songwriter Daily Discovery and reached #3 on the Commercial Pop UK Club chart.
Influenced by artists like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Frank Ocean and Hozier, Kelly began discovering his musical aspirations at the age of four, when he first sat down at a piano.
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Kiid Spyro - Break Them In
Australian emcee Kiid Spyro is back with a hooky new single “Break Them In” on Boom.Records. Growing attention for his melodic flair and hustling anthems, the new single finds Spyro dismissing naysayers and dodging all distractions while focusing on his goals. Serving as an homage to sneaker culture, Spyro’s “Break Them In” is a reference to Nike’s beloved Air Force 1’s. The young rapper and songwriter maintains a clean dress code while showing dedication to his budding music career. Since gaining traction in the gaming community, Spyro continues to introduce an evolved version of himself stemming from nostalgic hip-hop and R&B inspirations.
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Tim North- My Way
Acclaimed Toronto singer-songwriter and producer Tim North releases his debut EP Early Wishes via Boom.Records. Arriving alongside the EP is the official music video for the previously released track “My Way” featuring Sammy Adams. The visual, directed by Devan Marz (Jay Kritch, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie) and shot in Brooklyn, depicts North and Adams exchanging bars and staking their claim.
The debut also features the new collaborative single “On A Roll” with rapper Rittz. The single finds North drawing melodic inspiration from R&B, weaving Hip-Hop with an airy acoustic feel. Delivering a paced yet speedy couplet of bars, North and Rittz reminisce on the emotional distress and hardships from the past while persevering through life via the lens of two hustling emcees. Watch here.
Leading up to the release of Early Wishes, North gave listeners a glimpse of his awaited project with his previously released singles “My Way,” “Earned It” featuring Chris Stylez, and “Feel Real” featuring JRDN and Quake Matthews. North’s music encapsulates the rich and ominous sub-zero sounds that represent Toronto enhanced with springy melodies. Building momentum for Early Wishes, the debut project continues North’s multifaceted musical career.
The ever-evolving artist confidently pivots on his journey from rapping, djing, singing-songwriting to producing - proving he’s not one to be pigeonholed. North has been diligently pacing his artistry and remaining determined to his craft as he steadily works towards imprinting his name within the industry.
Speaking on the project, Tim North shares, “This is my debut project; it’s been a long time coming. I produced, mixed/mastered, and even directed some videos for Early Wishes, but I made this for Toronto and my fans. I appreciate Rittz, Chris Stylez, and everyone I had the pleasure of collaborating with. I truly enjoyed making this for you all to enjoy, and I hope you love it as much as I do.”
ABOUT TIM NORTH:
Emerging from Toronto’s music scene while witnessing the rise of Drake, The Weeknd, and longtime friend Roy Woods, North grew inspired by the impactful musical era and has been consistent with his craft as an artist and songwriter. Making music all of his life, the kick-start into his career began when North was discovered by Post Malone’s manager Dre London on SoundCloud. After spending a week at Post’s Los Angeles home on his couch, North was able to get acclimated to the West Coast and the music industry. Gaining more exposure, North began songwriting for various artists which resulted in him being signed to Ultra Music.
Slowly making a name for himself with his penmanship, North started writing music for FOX’s hit show “Empire”. Later, North started receiving recognition as an artist on his own merit, leading to collaborative hit singles such as "U&U" by Merk & Kremont, “Run It Up” by Seeb and K Camp ft. Marty James, and Gaullin's "Top Down" with Lucky Luke; resulting in over 20M streams across DSPs. North’s musical journey and work ethic continue to highlight his versatility while heightening him as a multi-hyphenate artist and multi-platinum songwriter with a rising music career ahead of him.