The Kid LAROI has been quietly switching management teams. The Kid was originally with Juice WRLD‘s label Grade A Productions. He left Grad A for Scooter Bruan when his single Without You was reaching the height of success at top 40 radio.

Reportedly, The Kid LAROI received a DM from Bieber wanting to collaborate. That’s when he started working him. Ironically, The Kid had no idea how Justin heard of him.

“I actually never asked him how he found my s***. He just DM’d me one day on Instagram and was just like, ‘You got the sauce’, and I responded back and was like, ‘Yo, what’s up? I’m a big fan’. He liked my message and that was it from there.

“Two months later he DM’d me again and was like, ‘Hey, what’s your number? I think I have the right song for us. Let me send it to you.’ He sent [‘Unstable’] to me and I was like, ‘This s***’s crazy’, went [and] wrote the verse, sent it back, and that was that.”

After a successful radio run with his single Stay featuring Bieber, The Kid left Scooter Braun to join Adam Leber who reps Lil Nas X.

Did The Kid get a DM from Lil Nas X?

I’m really loving Santiago by Isa Reyes. The fact that artists can still write introspective tracks in a digital distracted world is a win for a humanity. The track could find a home on Spotify’s Pop Folk playlist.

“Santiago’ is an homage to my journey and a reminder to me that despite growing up fast, I still have time to embrace my youth and forge my own path, in darker moments, I must remind myself there is so much to live for” says Reyes.

The 22-year old will release her indie-pop debut EP titled BELS in October. Garnering praise from Complex, Office Magazine and Lyrical Lemonade, the NYC native has generated over a half a million streams on Spotify alone.

Check out the video here.  Stream the track on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

Older music makes up 70% of streams. That means new artists need to up the standard. Lift the bar.

I don’t want to poo poo new artists. I can rattle off a slew of new artists that I enjoy. I’m just looking at the incredible low number that “brand new artists” make up 15% of the overall streams.

If the goal is to go Tiktok viral with a two minute banger, and get a $5 million advance from a label, then bravo!

Just note that a legitimate touring artist can generate $5 million in 5 shows.

With only a few exceptions, the Spotify top 50 is bland and boring. And most people who love music, want new music. I don’t want the the best songs of the decade on repeat. Don’t tell me I’m not looking hard enough, I look all day.

The Kid LAROI is great. He came out like a star and is now set for life. The End Of The World Tour sold 35,000 tickets in just 24 hours. But the rest? Meh. Social platforms gave the rise to self worship, but TikTok is social media on steroids that brainwashed musicians who now want overnight fame with a 15 second clip.

Make me believe again. Raise the stakes.

I’m really like the track TKM by Neoma. You’ll like if you love an upbeat haunting dance track.

Neoma has knack for Lunar Pop tracks.  She hit the top of the Ecuadorian charts with her single Real. In 2018, Neoma aka Carla Huiracocha relocated from Ecuador to Denver, Colorado, along with producer/bassist Danny Pauta of The Mañanas and Vondye, to focus on her music career.

She released her debut album, Real in November 2019. Neoma embarked on her first U.S. tour with a stop at SXSW but was shortly kill off by covid. Give it a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

Look out for Ryan Egan and the dreamy dance track Weeknights. You’ll like if you’re in the mood to chill and slow dance in a hall with a  glittered disco ball.

The track which was co-produced by Kevin Basko (Foxygen, Rubber Band Gun), landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday France. His debut EP picked up Noisey, Neon Gold, DIY, and Clash features.

“I wrote Weeknights just before leaving NYC for Paris in 2019. It’s a song about summer nights in the city, nervous hook ups and living with your heart on your sleeve. The song’s sonic character, to my ears, has an element of “French Touch” à la artists such as Air or Sébastien Tellier, as well as indie staples like Mac Demarco, Benny Sings, & Rhye” says Ryan.