'ELF yourself' to some Irish whiskey and 'BELL bottom country'

Following on from the release of the powerful EP  “Welcome to the Club”  earlier this summer,  British artist  Twinnie rounds out 2022 in style with her fantastic new Christmas single titled  “Elf Yourself”,  scheduled for a  November 25th release which will deliver all the playful cheer you need this holiday season.Twinnie has also just shared the official music video for latest single “Bad Bad Bitch”,  which is out now.

Throughout the tongue-in-cheek lyrics  of  Elf Yourself'  we witness  Twinnie  getting into the festive spirit with this holiday themed break-up song that celebrates leaving a bad relationship behind and the joy of stepping into Christmas alone knowing it's what's best for you - and this is all underpinned by the cheery production that is so brilliantly put together. Meanwhile, the official video for  Bad Bad Bitch, shows the satirical side of the singer/songwriter and captures the essence of her storytelling-based artistry and further enhances her growing reputation as an all round artist.

Elf Yourself  is a fun-filled, pop-country offering that has all the hallmarks of a Christmas classic allowing for  Twinnie  to bring 2022 to a close in wonderful fashion - this is one song that you're definitely going to want blasting when you're wrapping those presents or putting the Christmas tree up, and with the new music video shows the good, the bad, and the ugly as she gets to know her dates and leaves nothing unsaid. 

Speaking about Elf Yourself, Twinnie says, "Elf Yourself' feels like a really great tongue-in-cheek message to send to anyone you're disliking around Christmas time, and it let me get to grips with showing my personality too, and the official video will also star my nieces Demi and Victoria which I'm also really excited to share."

And referring to the video for Bad Bad Bitch, Twinnie adds, "This is the apotheosis of empowerment, freedom of expression and authenticity. It's a playful reality of any relationship and me being completely transparent about the good, and the bad sides which is something in all relationships we inevitably experience with people. Bad Bad Bitch is also referred to as a woman who is badass, independent, confident, speaks her mind and makes her own path."

A real-world traveler with a gypsy heart and a storyteller’s soul,  Twinnie  delivers vibrant lyrics and effervescent melodies through her vivacious soundscape.  Twinnie is both a fresh and a real voice for the outliers everywhere, and - as The Telegraph remarked -  a  "pop-country  star on the rise with a personality as powerful as her magnificent voice" 

Following the UK success of her 2020 album  Hollywood Gypsy,  a mainstay at Radio 2 with an  Album of the Week  accolade, her track  Bad  Bad  Bitch  is a self-affirming, bold offering that boasts self-confidence and female empowerment. Twinnie, wrote  People  magazine, is  "speaking her mind and creating a safe space for fans to be themselves"  .  A creative fixture in Nashville since 2015, Twinnie’s new music was written, recorded and produced in Music City. 

'Irish whiskey' helps Lee celebrate Nashville deal

Singer/songwriter  lee matthews  has returned to the airwaves with the release of his brand  new  single  “Irish whiskey on the Shelf”, which droped on all major platforms on  Friday, November 4th. But not alone that, the native of Castlederg in Tyrone, is also celebrating landing a major publishing deal in  Nashville.

Matthews now based in Strabane, and who first came to prominence almost a decade ago with the evergreen  Sadie's Got Her New Dress On, has already seen hits like  The Farmer Wants A Wife, There's Irish In Our Eyes,  and  Cotton Eye Joe  make him a firm favourite on both the 'live' scene and radio in Ireland.

Now, the self-penned  Irish Whiskey On The Shelf  - which once again sees top producer  Jonathan Owens at the helm - is already delighting Lee's legion of fans yet again.

Influenced by a reel called  The Boys Of Bluehill, which is over a century old, the song is everything you'd expect from Lee, with a terrific melody powering the upbeat sing-along, floor-filler.  Irish Whiskey On The Shelf  - a song Lee has had on the back-burner for a while - tells the story of a man who just needs to get away from the pressures of modern life. In this case, though, there's more to the pub that proves to be his refuge than just the  'irish whiskey on the shelf'. 

While Lee bounces  back into the limelight as a performer here in Ireland, his reputation as a songwriter has earned him what country songwriters the world over dream of: a publishing deal in Music City itself, Nashville! 

The recent Covid pandemic brought the lives of many in the entertainment world to a sudden halt, Lee's life-long passion for songwriting quickly filled the vacuum created by the disappearance of 'live' shows. 

Part of this process involved Lee spending time with one of his co-writers, Pete  Doherty (not he of The Libertines and Babyshambles),  with a view to finishing some of the more contemporary American songs in Lee's catalogue. Eventually, via Lee's manager, Paul Tinney, one of the songs the pair had been working on found its way to David Howells in London, the manager of producer Steve Mac, who has fifty-seven UK #1 singles to his credit.  Howells, who at the time was busy with Steve's latest project, what would becomeEd Sheeran's  #1 with Elton John  -  Merry Christmas  - had previously worked with US country music superstar Tim McGraw, on his US Billboard chart-topper,  Leave It With Me. 

Howells felt that there was something special about the song, and like Lee, believed that it would be a perfect fit for an artist like McGraw. 

One thing led to another, and news soon reached Lee that a major publisher in Nashville wanted to speak with him. By March of this year, Lee had put pen to paper on a deal. A spokesperson for the company revealed that they had been impressed by the overall production of the song as Lee had first presented it to them, but also by Lee's ability - as a young Irishman - to write so authentically in an 'American voice'. 

No doubt Lee's experience of working on projects with international elements earlier in his career - stateside as well as in London and Stockholm - alongside respected industry names such as Steve Mac and Wayne Hector  proved influential in this regard. 

With his new single,  Irish Whiskey On The Shelf, about to hit the airwaves here in Ireland, Lee the songwriter, just like Lee the performer, is entering another exciting stage of his career. With another new song already delivered to his publisher, featuring some of Nashville's top session players and produced by the Grammy nominated Matt Troja, Lee has never been  more certain about his next steps...

"The plan now", he confidently declares,  "is to get over to Nashville again and work on the next few songs I've already completed."

Lainey Wilson wins big at the CMAs
In February of last year we had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with the one-in-a-million LAINEY WILSON, just ahead of the release of her Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' album. Here's a little reminder about part of what we said at the time...

"In short,  Lainey's  music, much like any encounter or experience with the lady herself, will leave you with a great big smile on your face, and with your world brightened immeasurably by the light she pours into life through everything she does. Am I a fan? Damn right, I am! And if you're not one already as well, then you will be as soon as you hear  Neon Diamonds  - the opener on  Sayin' What I'm  Thinkin'  - kick in. Much like  Lainey, it's pure country bliss." 

Well, I guess we weren't the only ones to rate Lainey so highly, because earlier this month the BMG artist  took home the highly coveted trophies for  Female Vocalist of the Year  and  New Artist of the Year  during her  Country Music Association  (CMA) Awards  debut. Wilson - the most nominated artist of the night - is the first artist to win both awards in the same year since Carrie Underwood in 2006. 

Following the award ceremony, Wilson performed current radio single  Heart Like A Truck  from her new album  Bell Bottom Country  on  Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

At the CMA Awards ceremony, Wilson performed her current radio collaboration  wait in the truck  (the song title is intentionally all lower-case) with HARDY and  Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow  with  Jon Pardi,  Dierks Bently, and  Carrie Underwood  during Alan Jackson’s Lifetime Achievement Award tribute. Wilson also partnered with Crown Royal to honour active-duty military and veterans, and, during the telecast, presented their $50,000 donation to CreatiVets, an organisation dedicated to empowering wounded veterans to heal through the arts and music.

Prior to the show, she walked the red carpet in a custom Laura Citron suit, Alexis Bittar and Mud Lowery jewellery, Sam Edelman shoes, and a Standard Hatworks hat.

Following a national broadcast on ABC in the US, highlights from what were the  56th Annual CMA Awards  were broadcast in the UK on  BBC Radio 2  on November 13th, and will be available to watch on  BBC Four  on November 18th.

In March 2023, Wilson will be making her highly anticipated return to the UK to perform on the main stage at  C2C: Country to Country Festival  in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Tickets and more information can be found at  c2c-countrytocountry.com

Wilson’s successes last week came just days before she made her acting debut, starring in the fifth season of Paramount Network’s mega hit TV show  Yellowstone, which became available to stream here on Paramount Plus on November 13th. Wilson will take on the role of  Abby, a character Taylor Sheridan (co-creator of the show) crafted specifically for her, where she will play a musician and perform new original music.

As well as now holding the title of the CMA's 2022 Female Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year, Lainey is also the ACM’s (Academy of Country Music) New Female Artist of the Year for 2022. One of country music's fastest rising new stars, she has been named to nearly every  Artist to Watch  list, being crowned  Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2021, and earning CMT  Breakout Artist of the Year for 2022. 

The Louisiana native is one of Nashville’s hottest and most buzzed-about new artists. Landing her first #1 with her Platinum Certified ACM Song of the Year  Things  A Man Oughta Know, nearly ten years to the day after leaving her small farming community in a camper-trailer to chase her dreams. Now, Wilson has won over legions of fans with her signature 'bell bottom country' sound and aesthetic, which blends traditional country with a modern yet retro flare. A prolific and sought-after songwriter (having co-writer credits on songs by artists including Luke Combs, Flatland  Calvary  and more), Lainey is a fresh, fierce voice in Nashville.

With a rockstar stage presence, her artistry has taken her across the globe, performing for sold-out crowds throughout the US, UK, and Germany with notable names like Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Hardy, Jason Aldean, Ashley McBryde, and more. After topping the Country radio charts for a second time with the two-week #1 hit,  Never Say Never  with Cole Swindell, her current single  Heart Like a Truck  is Top 25 and climbing, with the Hardy collaboration  wait in the truck  sitting close behind in the Top 35.