Lana Del Rey and controversy go together like oil and vinegar. Why? I have no idea because she really isn’t a polarizing artist. Regardless, she was heavily trolled and accused of racial insensitivity for naming stars including like Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj as having had hits about “wearing no clothes and cheating with full acceptance, while she has been “crucified” for penning lyrics that dealt with abusive relationships.

Who helps her through tough times? Management…
“Where do I even begin to pinpoint how they’ve most helped me?” she shared. “I think the way they’ve primarily helped me the most is by seeing me as a real person with unique challenges and unique gifts. They’ve understood that I have a real sensitivity about me and that that’s what makes the music pretty, but it’s what makes certain processes more challenging.”
“Honestly, weekly… My challenges have never involved creating a record or putting out music or how to do that. I need them as much for emotional support as I do for a career guidance. We have experienced highs and lows together, mostly me having anxiety! But, of course, everybody’s life is happening in between the records.

Over 1,500 artist have come together and are demanding money from the government. Experts agree that there needs to be real solution. Cash injections won’t save the “live business”. We need a strategy to get the venues up and running again.
Regardless, Radiohead, The Cure, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Primal Scream, Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, The Rolling Stones and Coldplay have signed an open letter to the government for the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign – demanding immediate action to prevent “catastrophic damage” to the music industry in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.
The Music Venue Trust demanded a 50million cash injection to save venues. Reports claim that 92% of festival businesses are at risk of collapse and called for government support to “make it to next year without being wiped out”.

“Amazing gigs don’t happen without an amazing team behind the stage, but they’ll all be out of jobs unless we can get back out there doing what we love,” said Gallagher.

London artist Beth Duck drops the uptempo track Text. It’s pure dance pop and it’s hard to imagine she started off as country. She cites John Mayer as main influencer that got her into writing because his songs sound like poetry. It appears she’s garnering a following as she currently clocked over 5 million streams while landing on Spotify’s Peach (Indie Pop) Playlist. Give it a listen.

If you’re a fan of indie folk, you’ll love Sterre Weldring. I may have said this before but I really love the influx of melancholic songs right now. We are in a time of self reflection not an era of dancing and twerking, that’s very dated now.  Plus, her music makes total sense if you dig into her eclectic background. At 18 she started studying in Brighton at BIMM (British Institute of Modern Music) – the same school James Bay attended. She immersed herself in Brighton’s vibrant music scene before settling in Amsterdam where she took up philosophy. Her tracks landed on several Spotify editorial playlists including Acoustic Summer, Walk Alone, New Music Friday (NL), and Melancholic Melodies.

I really like the debut track Get Out Alive from Canadian artist Alex Frew. Inspired by Bon Iver from Khalid, the 18 year old comes out of the box more or less like a seasoned artist. He notes, “I’m singing of a previous love lost, navigating my social anxiety and wondering if I’ll ever be the same again”. The track landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday Canada and It’s a Bop. Give it a stream on Indie Invaders Playlist.