New Music from Keith Urban, Shad, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Jojo Mason, and SonReal

The New Music Spotlight is here with some country from down under and a little from Canada too. Two doses of Canadian hip hop. AND some rock and roll from the American midwest.

We think that all five tracks deserve a listen – and we hope you add your favourites to your playlists!

Ready? Let’s go!

Artist: Keith Urban
Hometown: Caboolture, Queensland, AU
Genre: Country
Related Artists: Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley
Song: Wild Hearts
Notes: Country music superstar Keith Urban is back with Wild Hearts, and fans are already all-in, and so are we are. Urban gets enthusiastically empowering in this one, offering love to everyone who dreams big and chases a dream. Add in the signature guitar work, the hooky vibe of the song, and you’ve got another banger from Keith Urban. Enjoy.

Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple

Artist: Shad
Hometown: London, ON
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Related Artists: K-OS, Oddisee, Common Market
Song: Body (No Reason)
Notes: From the upcoming album TAO (October 1, 2021), Shad goes hard for 1:49 on Body (No Reason) and I want more. Now. The Canadian hip-hop and broadcasting heavyweight delivers in less than two minutes – and when he wraps up with a Joe Carter reference, I smile!

Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple

Artist: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Hometown: Hermann, MO
Genre: Rock
Related Artists: Leon Bridges, The Arcs, The Dip
Song: Survivor
Notes: From their upcoming album, The Future (November 5, 2021), Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats give us Survivor. And if the 10 other tracks on the record fit with this one, and we get 42 minutes of rock and roll from the band that blew us away five years ago at WayHome 2016, I’ll be very happy.

Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple

Artist: Jojo Mason
Hometown: Regina, SK
Genre: Country
Related: Andrew Hyatt, Shawn Austin, Chris Buck Band
Song: Broken Umbrella
Notes: Jojo Mason is one the easiest to cheer for artists in Canadian country music, and he makes it even easier every time he releases a song as smooth as Broken Umbrella. There’s a lot of love being poured out in this one, and it makes me smile. I am very much looking forward to hearing this one live and listening to the crowd sing along with Jojo Mason ASAP.

Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple

Artist: SonReal
Hometown: Vernon, BC
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Related Artists: Classified, Cam Meekins, Grieves
Song: right before my eyes
Notes: SonReal’s new EP, i can’t make this up is available now with five new tracks including right before my eyes (and its The Truman Show inspired music video). The BC hip-hop artist gets to the real life of it on the lead track to the EP. He’s not telling flashy cars and money stories – he’s grounded and I’m here for it. SonReal is smooth on right before my eyes, and whether you choose the 2:50 album track or the 4:35 video, you’ve made a good choice.

Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple

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Joshua Murray

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