There was plenty impactful music discussion at the Pollstar Live Conference which had Irving Azoff and Nicki Minaj as Keynote speakers. Ironically, Nicki Minaj had some things to say about her song catalog. Minaj named Starships, Anaconda, and Your Love as songs she wishes weren’t recorded. Speaking about Anaconda, Nicki says, “I like the video but…,” she said. “My first ever solo song on Billboard was ‘Your Love.’ To this day I like the video but I hate the song. I could go on and on. I hate ‘Starships.’ I was like, ‘Why did I do that?’ I really think that every time I hear it.”
 

Watch out for the Amsterdam-based electronic pop band A.ROSE – fronted by Anna-Rose Clayton. I like the big hooks especially in the song Dancing Alone. Think Tove-Lo meets MØ. The band will support Carly Rae Jepsen in Paradiso Grote Zaal on 2/12. The debut track Hush Hush landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday NL, Spotify’s Rising, and Fresh Finds.

 

Look out for the indie-folk duo Firewoodisland. The UK act just released the catchy Sprinter and have rallied up support from tastemakers like Ear Milk and BBC Radio​. Citing ​Bon Iver​ and Of Monsters and Men​ as influences, they have racked up over 5 million Spotify plays with support from playlists. The indie band market is oversaturated with too many bands trying to do the same thing but something is different with this duo. I don’t know, maybe it’s the songs or visuals, but it’s something.

Social media was set ablaze with NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime show. The last couple of years, the slot was filled with artists like Adam Levine, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga, but this time they booked Shakira and J-LO that gave a ‘booty shaken’ Vegas style performance. It was Shakira that dominated the news by making noise with her tongue during the performance. Some have noted that it may have been a wink to her Lebanese roots. Some have called it the greatest moment in halftime history. The show didn’t end without controversy with critics saying the show was ‘sexual exploitation’.

Definitely check out the Sydney based Nick de la Hoyde. He just dropped the album A Beautiful Mess. One of my favorites is High. I don’t know why, maybe it reminds me of P. Malone. Mashing up genres like Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, the singer-songwriter was added to the TikTok playlist on Spotify as well as Spotify’s New Music Friday and Indie Invaders.