Karousel Music presents:

EAST LDN Showcase with SESAC and MMF

Acantha Lang + Harry Lyon + Drew Thomas + Hoofa

Paper Dress Vintage, London, GB

FREE INDUSTRY PASS WITH RSVP
Entry Requirements: 18 and over

Welcome to the final edition of 2024 of our London music industry showcase with our long time allies at SESAC and the MMF.

Line Up

New Orleans-born (London-based) rising Soul artist Acantha Lang has been compared to legends Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. Her acclaimed debut album ‘Beautiful Dreams,’ released in 2023, charted at #3 on The Official UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart, garnering critical praise and rave reviews with 5-star ratings in Echoes Magazine and Soul Bag Magazine (France). Acantha graced the covers of the iconic Blues & Soul and Echoes Magazines and received Album of the Month honors from Soul Tracks, Relix, American Songwriter, KCRW’s ‘Top Tune,’ and more. Tastemaker Craig Charles (BBC 6Music’s Funk & Soul Show) notes: “She’s brilliant…destined for world domination.”

Lang has also been captivating audiences globally, making her US TV debut on CBS Saturday Morning and performing at the prestigious 2024 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas, major venues in Spain and the UK, and renowned clubs like Bizz’Art (Paris, France) and Melkweg (Netherlands). In April 2024, she was a featured artist at The Dew Drop in New Orleans and performed alongside The New Mastersounds at The House of Blues and Blue Nile as part of the BACKBEAT Jazz Fest series during New Orleans Jazz Fest weekend where she met new fans like Anderson.Paak. She was also invited as a special guest for Jon Cleary at his sold-out show at the renowned Jazz Cafe in London.

Lang's songwriting prowess was recognized before her solo career, crafting tracks for the GRAMMY-nominated Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Her debut EP, ‘Sugar Woman,’ earned her critical acclaim and the 2021 Soul Tracks Readers' Choice Award for New Artist of the Year. She was also accepted into the Recording Academy’s (Grammy) 2022 member class.

Currently writing album #2 with further US and European touring to come off the back of a string of sold-out recent shows in Spain, this GRAMMY-nominated songwriter has established a dedicated legion of fans with her 13m+ viewed "Standing On The Shoulders Of" soul series.

With over 3 million streams and placements on top Spotify playlists like All Funked Up, Best Retro Songs, and Best Funk Songs of 2023, Lang's music is resonating with a global audience. Radio support in the UK (BBC 6Music's Funk & Soul Show) and the US (KCRW's Top Tune of the Day) further solidifies her rising star status. Her most recently released single was a re-imagined funk cover of Bill Withers’ ‘Grandma’s Hands’, that was named Jazz FM’s Breakfast Show record of the week, added to the A List, plus also got love from esteemed DJ Trevor Nelson on BBC Radio 2. Acantha is currently preparing to return to the studio to write her sophomore album, slated for 2025.

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This is our EARLY WARNING tip. We're absolutely convinced Harry is about to cause a rush. Uplifting, triumphant indie pop at its best, answering the call for hope in an era where people are hungry for human connection and discovering what it means to leave your four walls and exist in the world again. Harry has been honing his craft as a musician and lyricist, with a brand new EP ready to go into 2025.

Harry combines the yearning authenticity of a Northern lad with the direct pop hooks and smattering of 80’s nostalgia. With his sincere and honest lyrics and regional charm, he captures a feeling of hope, freedom and possibility.

Recently entered into a management setup with Alison Lamb, we're super excited for them both. Watch this space...

Drew's live performances are a testament to his growing popularity. He has performed at prominent festivals including Reading & Leeds, Great Escape, Y Not, Dot to Dot and Future Echoes (Sweden). To support his most recent EP campaign, Drew sold out two headline shows in London and Nottingham.

As a writer, Drew has written for artists such as Tom Walker, James TW, and Tadhg Daly and released the EDM track "Daylight" with LA-based DJ Benji Reyes. His talent and hard work have earned him recognition as BBC Introducing’s Top 10 Most Played Artist of 2023, a nominee for Pride 25’s UrLifeTheMixtape in 2024, and a CelebMix One To Watch in 2023. Drew's own music is a unique blend of grit pop, indie rock and high-energy alt-pop. His artistry has been influenced by elements of Fleetwood Mac, Stereophonics, Jimmy Eat World and Sam Fender. With a knack for crafting arena-sized choruses and emotionally resonant, nostalgic lyrics, Drew spins tales of rejection, broken relationships, and addiction with cathartic storytelling.

Impressive. Slick. Insouciant. Alluring. Confident. Composed. All things a modern rock musician attests to be… however Drew Thomas has taken a more honest approach in his portrayal of what being an artist means to be to him. Emerging from the East Midlands to take his place among London's vibrant music scene and now residing in the music capital, Drew is a dynamic force in a new grit-pop movement, known for his determination and powerful songwriting.

Drew’s discography showcases his evolving artistry. His releases include Soho (2019), Early Hours EP (2020), Daybreak EP (2022), and Meridian EP (2023). Among his standout tracks, "Twenties" (2023) was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday in the Netherlands and Belgium, while "Lying on the Concrete" (2021) was a partnership with the mental health charity To Write Love On Her Arms. Drew has garnered substantial media and industry support. He has been featured and premiered by outlets such as EarMilk, Clout, God Is In The TV, Atwood, Metal, 1883, and the Daily Express. Additionally, he enjoys strong support from BBC Introducing Midlands and regular plays on Amazing Radio.and a rapidly growing live fanbase across the UK and beyond.

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Emerging from an underground toilet, the pop duo Hoofa (James and Alan) have built on successes that include being part of Luton and Everton football club (James' boyhood club) matchday playlists, as well as shows that garnered rave reviews at The Great Escape Festival and Reeperbahn. Their journey led to them becoming Twitch streaming sensations during lockdown, creating a catalogue of songs in their home studio. With influences such as Spector, CHVRCHES, and Paul Heaton—there ain’t no party like a Hoofa party, and that's not just because it usually has glow sticks.

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