Karousel Music presents:
EAST LDN SHOWCASE
Lo Lauren + The Jacques + May Roze + Pippa Crossland
Season 14 of our industry showcases begins with a customary feast for the ears and eyes, and here's what we've got coming your way with our friends at SESAC and the MMF... As ever, drinks from 18:30 and Music from 19:45.
Line Up
Pop songstress Lo Lauren released her relatable and upbeat new single, Before The Kiss at the end of last year. Although not a complete departure from her signature pop sound, the track hears Lo explore a more synth-pop side. The track perfectly describes that intoxicating feeling before a kiss. Before The Kiss was produced by andysocialclub and Slwmo, and can be heard here. Lo also revealed her incredibly clever music video, which saw Lo learn to sing her song backwards and then lip-sync to it whilst dancing through the streets of Notting Hill!
Before The Kiss was also used in the trailer for 2024 rom-com Sweethearts (featuring Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga), after the director Jordan Weiss (creator of series Dollface) heard the track on Spotify and personally reached out.The energetic single follows the release of Lo’s previous electric single, Wonder, which kicked off the start of a compelling new chapter for Lo last year.
The Kent-born artist appeared on CBBC Saturday Mash Up and performed at The Hundred last year, alongside Cat Burns, Nell Mescal and Zara Larsson. Lo also gets great support from Spotify, who featured Before The Kiss in the likes of playlists including Young & Free (1.5 million saves), and Apple Music who included the track in Breaking Pop, amongst others.
2023 saw Lo release a slew of singles including Monster, Never The One and Only One On Earth, which she followed up with her single, No Good In Goodbye, early last year. Around these releases, Lo has received solid radio support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing and Sir Elton John’s 'Rocket Hour'.
Originating from Rochester in Kent, Lo has spent the last few years developing her own unique sonic identity. Drawing inspiration from the pop icons of the 2010s that soundtracked her teens and blending it with her own honest, hook-driven songwriting, Lo’s music is a melting pot of nostalgic, ambitious and unapologetic pop, poised to stand the test of time.
The Jacques are a British indie outfit blending britpop, grunge, psychedelia, garage and post-punk and, over the past 10 years since they started out as teenagers, they have built up a reputation for particularly raucous live performances, especially in mainland Europe. Singer Finn O'Brien's unique lyrical and vocal style sets The Jacques far apart from their peers in terms of their sound.
The band cite Pixies, The Breeders, Sonic Youth, The Libertines, The Fall, Nirvana, The Strokes, Slint, Blur and Gang of Four as some of their influences. Their debut album The Four Five Three is comprised of songs written over the course of the band's busiest touring period, before Covid, which saw them play Glastonbury & Reading and Leeds (UK) Reeperbahn (DE) London Calling and Eurosonic (NL) Transmusicale (FR) and SXSW plus a sold out headline show at NYC's Mercury Lounge. Previous to that US visit, they were invited to play the CMJ showcase by Huw Stephens where they were spotted by Bucks Music (UK) / Royalty Network (US) and have been signed to them for publishing ever since.
The Jacques have since recorded their second album which will be self-released on their own label in the summer of 2025 (via a distribution partnership with OneRPM). They operate largely on an independent, unsigned basis.
They have received support and acclaim from Huw Stephens, Huey Morgan, Don Letts, Chris Hawkins, John Kennedy and Steve Lamaq, and the debut album received four stars in Rolling Stone France. The band have always had a strong following in France and have toured extensively there.
Having returned from a short hiatus last year with a huge catalogue of new, unreleased music, The Jacques are keen to reassert themselves as a Europe-facing live band while building their UK audience and looking also to America.
May’s single "Again" reached #23 on the UK Commercial Pop Charts and hit #1 on Kings of Spins. Her music has received praise from outlets such as Notion, A&R Factory, and Vents, earning her spots on specialist radio and DSP playlists like EQUAL and Fresh Finds. In 2022, she unveiled her debut EP "Heal," with the single "Mad" making an appearance on Love Island. Most recently, May performed at the Secret Garden Party festival.
Swiss-raised and now London-based, May Roze embodies her Aquarian spirit by continually reinventing herself. Her artistic journey began as a 3-year-old singer and stage performer, evolving into songwriting at 16, and ultimately emerging as a multifaceted singer, songwriter, and producer. Influenced by visionaries like Kate Bush, Sade, Björk, and Enya, she first honed her craft in musical plays at the age of 6, laying the foundation for her unique sound and identity.
May's vocal prowess and resilience, refined under the guidance of international coaches like Nick Cooper (who has coached Beyoncé, Ciara, and Nicki Minaj), have taken her from gigging across Switzerland to recording at prestigious studios, including Metropolis in London, Electric Lady in New York, and studios in Paris.
Her music has received praise from outlets such as Notion, A&R Factory, and Vents, earning her spots on specialist radio and DSP playlists like EQUAL and Fresh Finds.
Delivering soulful and alluring alt-pop for the new age, Pippa Crossland proves that classic, powerhouse vocals and catchy bops can go hand in hand. A Sheffield-raised singer-songwriter, Pippa has been articulating her most complex feelings through music for as long as she can remember.
Her latest self-released single ‘Sleep On It’ has got heads turning and people talking, with BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing tastemakers voicing their support, as well as being championed by Spotify as the covergirl of Fresh Finds UK & IE. Playlist placements on no less than eight editorial playlist, including new-gen tastemakers Our Generation, Chilled Pop Hits and Easy (all whilst self-releasing via DistroKid), indicate that Pippa is making music that sticks with you from the first listen. This year has seen Pippa’s first festival appearance at Sheffield’s iconic Tramlines via BBC Introducing, supported by a feature on BBC News Look North, and two consecutive nights of sold-out support for Tim Gallagher down in London. Pippa has also performed to a packed room at Beyond The Music in Manchester, and will soon play School Night in London.
Pippa is currently working on her debut EP with Manchester-based producer Toby Ollis-Brownstone (Bonnie Kemplay, Nxdia, Siobhan Winifred), which is set to include ‘Sleep On It’, ‘90’ and more brand new tracks (including live favourites Weather Warnings and I Don’t Like Being Alone).
Penning relatable, intimate lyrics alongside beautifully crafted melodies appealing to fans of the likes of Olivia Dean, Holly Humberstone and Arlo Parks, Pippa captivates listeners from the offset- and knows exactly what they’re going through.
