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23 INCOMING Pixie Lott is reborn as an independent act with her first album in 10 years
24 HOTSHOTS
FEATURES 26 EZRA COLLECTIVE After last year’s Mercury Prize triumph, jazz quintet Ezra Collective’s quest for mainstream success is set to kick up a gear with their third album, Dance, No One’s Watching. In a straight-talking interview, we meet the band and their team to tell the story of its genesis
36 ROBERT RONALDSON The Robots + Humans president talks about life at Sony, analyses how tech is fundamentally changing the process of artist discovery and offers a fresh perspective on the UK’s issue with breaking talent
42 KAMILLE We meet the songwriter and producer to hear about her powerful journey to becoming an independent artist, the untraditional plans for the release of her new K2 project and the positive side to having imposter syndrome 48 DARCUS BEESE As he prepares to release his new memoir, Rebel With A Cause, the former Island president goes deep on what he learnt about himself through the process and talks discrimination, A&R and building a legacy
54 DJ ESI KISS’ brightest emerging star lifts the lid on her new rap show, the genre’s exciting future and the importance of representing women in radio
ROBERT RONALDSON
REGULARS 35 MENTOR ME Radio plugger and Three Thirty Music director Mel Rudder serves up her Top 5 career tips
64 HITMAKERS Producer and co-writer Evan Blair looks back on how a distorted guitar and not playing by the rules brought Benson Boone’s No.1 anthem Beautiful Things to life 66 CENTRE STAGE Mark Davyd on why the incoming government must protect GMVs
67 CHARTS An in-depth look at this month’s biggest movers and shakers
84 ARCHIVE We flick back through the pages of Music Week of yesteryear
DARCUS BEESE
DJ ESI
59 LABEL SERVICES A special report on one of the industry’s most dynamic and competitive sectors
86 AFTERSHOW Ahead of his new album, Light It Up, Will Young reflects on Pop Idol and his pantomime beginnings
WILL YOUNG
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Music Week | 07
