If there’s one thing we really love here at Essentially Pop, it’s going out to see live performances, to take photos (especially if we’re in the press pit) and relive the experience, by writing it down and sharing it with our readers. So I’m in a bind when I say that, at the moment, I don’t really feel comfortable attending gigs, or indeed, actively promoting them. Even though by attending, people are not necessarily jeopardising their own health, but they could well carry it to those more vulnerable than themselves. And as much as “herd immunity” is the current policy here in the UK, I don’t want (or for EP…

Fort Lauderdale’s F$O Dinero has been on our radar since last year, when we first came across him and his crew on ‘Yaw Yaw‘ last May. Since then we’ve also featured his song, ‘Panty Droppa‘ in December, and the prolific hip hop artist returns, with new single, ‘Talk To Me’. The track is the pivotal song on his mixtape, ‘Color Money’; he’s dropped his bad boy persona for the song, and he’s sweet talking his girlfriend, with heartfelt and sincere – and seductive – lyrics. He’s vulnerable. He raps, but he’s also singing, and does each with the same lean and succinct delivery. The video takes the same sincere sentimentality…

Kellie-Anne has packed a lot into her 17 years. The pop and soul singer and songwriter recently moved to New York City, having first lived in Dubai, and then Quebec City. She has a lot of stories deep inside, and knows that she needs to tell them. Thankfully she’s also able to innately relate to others, to stand in their shoes, while at the same time speaking from her own heart. Kellie-Anne’s singles are empowering, giving encouragement to the victims of bullying, and giving those who’ve put their dreams on the back shelf the will to pick them up and chase them. She’s played international music festivals, and clubs in…

We’ve been writing about Trav Torch for a few years now, and watched his journey with interest. Starting out as a rapper back when he was 13, the Maplewood New Jersey native is a fully fledged RnB artist whose latest track, ‘Lust’, from his upcoming sophomore album, ‘Bachelor Life 2’, is sure to make you sit up and take notice. Trav’s songs are filled to the brim with hypnotic beats, and super catchy hooks, while maintaining an honesty that can only come from a personal point of view. It stands to reason therefore that he writes and arranges all his own tracks, and quite often records and mixes it too.…

Singer-songwriter Bruce Sudano should be no stranger to pop music fans, having written for the likes of Michael and Jermaine Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and the late Donna Summer, who was also his wife. The writer of Summer’s hit, ‘Bad Girls’, Dolly Parton’s ‘Starting Over Again’ – which hit the top spot on the US Country charts, and Michael and Jermain scored a Grammy nomination for his song, ‘Tell Me I’m Not Dreamin’ (Too Good to Be True)’. The song was also covered by Robert Palmer. Bruce has become a much sought-after fixture on the Roots/Folk/Americana circuit, and balances it with his indie imprint label Purple Heart Recording. He’s…

Set for release tomorrow, March 16, Wendy Halo’s latest single, ‘Fire And Ice’ tells the story of a relationship where one partner is distancing themselves, and the other is trying to bring the passion back, and restore the spark. The track follows on directly from her most recent single, ‘Compromise’. Using metaphoric imagery, the music video brings to life all the themes in the upbeat pop track. Speaking of the song, Wendy said, The song is about an assertive woman who knows what she wants and will strive to get it. She is trying to attract the attention of a man she likes but feels he is not showing enough…