Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow conjures a mélange of sounds as the one-woman band JYOTI on her jazz-saturated album, Mama, You Can Bet! At first listen, it points to the comforting sounds of Nina Simone or Erykah Badu (with whom Muldrow has collaborated in the past), along with inflections of Shuggie Otis and Solange. Such breadth might spell trouble, but Muldrow’s wayfaring album is a vagabond that never gets lost. From the excellent “Ra’s Noise” to the title track, the songs don’t just slap, they...

Filipino-British artist and 2020 Brit Awards Rising Star nominee Beabadoobee is slated to release her debut album, Fake It Flowers, in October. More from BUST Angel Olsen Reimagines Fan Favorites On "Whole New Mess": BUST Interview  Mexican-American Sister Trio Tiarra Girls Talk New Cover Single "Can't Stop The World," Heritage, The Pandemic, And Proudest Moments: BUST Interview Beverly Glenn-Copeland's "Transmissions" Is Perfect For Both Lifelong Fans And Newcomers ...

There is no question that last night’s Billboard Music Awards stood out from previous years. Not only did the event, which takes place in L.A.'s Dolby Theater, happen without a live audience, but stars such as Demi Lovato, Lizzo, and Killer Mike used their platforms to highlight important current and political issues. In case you missed it, here are some of the most noteworthy moments. 1. Demi Lovato performed her newest song, “Commander in Chief,” a protest against President Trump. Lovato’s performance was illuminated in front of a...

In the midst of today's crazymaking Amy Coney Barrett live hearings—a terrifying process that could eventually result in the demolition of Roe v. Wade—we'd like to suggest a little palate cleanser in the form of Viva Ruiz’s new track, “Thank God For Abortion Anthem.” Ruiz is an activist and artist-in-residence for Shout Your Abortion, a multimedia movement working to normalize abortions through art, storytelling, and community-building events and she's also the creator of the activist collective Thank God For Abortion (TGFA). Ruiz started TGFA in 2015...

Megan Thee Stallion is calling all the “college hotties.”  Last week, the rapper and college student debuted a scholarship in honor of her new song “Don’t Stop” with Young Thug. Two $10,000 dollar scholarships will be awarded at an unnamed date to women of color that are pursuing an associates, bachelors or postgraduate degree in any field of study. The application website reads, “Still a college student herself, Megan is incredibly passionate about the transformative power of education and remains a strong advocate for women...

FOR A DECADE, Angel Olsen, 33, has consistently made music and then toured it, taking breaks for only a few weeks before hitting the road again. Then the pandemic struck, and she was able to hit the pause button while still releasing an album. Her latest, Whole New Mess, arrived at the end of the summer—a collection of stripped-down versions of tracks off 2019’s All Mirrors (with the exception of the title song and “Waving, Smiling”). It’s indicative of her return to her roots and...

SAD13 Haunted Painting (Wax Nine) Sadie Dupuis is one of the most prolific songwriters out there, but unfortunately, still one of the most underrated. With any luck, Haunted Painting, her second solo album as Sad13, will change that. The Speedy Ortiz frontwoman returns with some of her strongest work yet, with guest appearances from tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus, Helado Negro’s Roberto Carlos Lange, and others. The songs “WTD?” and “Hysterical” are pure bops, with whimsical, synth-laden instrumentation that takes the edge off Dupuis’ incisive lyrics. Other tracks—“Ruby Wand,” “Market Hotel”—clock in...

BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND  Transmissions (Transgressive)  “There are three challenges in my life. The first is being Black in a white culture. The second is being transgendered in a heteronormative culture. The third is being an artist in a business culture,” says Beverly Glenn-Copeland in a press release about Transmissions, a career-spanning collection of his beautiful and eclectic music. Born in Philadelphia, Glenn-Copeland left the U.S. to study music in Canada in the 1960s. In 1970, after dropping out of college due to discrimination, he released two mystical folk-jazz...

Austin, Texas' very own sister trio, Tiarra Girls, debuts their newest single “Can’t Stop The World,'' a cover song by none other than The Go-Go's. Working together as a band for a decade, these sisters have created their own brand of music, taking inspiration from Latin, pop, rock, blues, dance, mariachi — you name it. With gigs including the sought-out SXSW musical festival and Trans-Peco Festival, and now scoring a huge deal singing with Lucky Hound Music with producer Michael Ramos, this band is just...

Mickey Guyton is changing the country music world. On Wednesday, she became the first Black woman to ever perform solo at the Academy of Country Music Awards, which is in its 55th year. Guyton took this opportunity to sing her recently released song, "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?," live from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.  The song questions the listener about what they will tell their daughters in the face of harassment, abuse, and oppression. In the chorus, Guyton sings, “Will you just shrug...