Cross The Tracks 2025 Review – A Standout Summer Festival
Photo Credit: @garryjonesphotography Cross The Tracks 2025 Review – A Standout Summer Festival Love was in the air, along with some great jazz, funk and soul 8 June 2025 By Caitlin Taylor The last time I was at Cross the Tracks, I remember running towards Khruangbin just as the summer rain started. It was a top ten magical experience and this year had a lot to live up to, at least in my eyes. Last year saw Erkyah Badu controversially pull out at the last minute, and the recent drama about whether all Brockwell park festivals would be allowed to continue meant that I entered this year cautiously. Lynda Dawn was one of the first artists we encountered. She actually played last time I was here back in 2022 and it was nice to see her get a main stage upgrade. Her stage presence was incredibly impressive and she attracted a large and unexpectedly engaged crowd for such an early slot. It’s always nice to watch people who genuinely seem to be having fun while performing, and her dancing along with her backup singers put a smile on my face. We began wandering around, and were promptly pulled in by Nala Sinephro’s siren song. She and her band were a wonder to watch, her talent was completely captivating and what was meant to be a quick stop-off ended up with us staying for her whole set which involved her seamlessly moving between a harp and synthesiser. Fun fact: she also recently composed the soundtrack for the new Benny Safdie and Dwayne Johnson film ‘The Smashing Machine’ – definitely someone to keep on your radar. © Khali Ackford After a short group discussion about who to see next, we decided it was time to dance. Last Nubian were playing at the Funk Junction, featuring vocals from Achanté, who kept the crowd moving the entire time. It was a smaller stage but absolutely swarmed by people and we quickly became enveloped in the crowd, no complaints though! They worked perfectly together the entire time, definitely a standout. Luke Dyson @lukedyson http://www.lukedyson.com It’s undeniably amazingly curated, wherever you end up you’ll be hearing something great which is something I haven’t truly experienced at any other festival. It should also receive praise for being open to all generations, with such a variety of artists that both parents and kids will all have heard of at least someone – JGrrey to Gilles Peterson, Cymande to Jordan Rakei. It’s a festival that feels right at home on a Sunday, with the only caveat being the unfortunate fact that the grass has been stomped grey by the Dr Martens mosh pits at Wide Awake the previous Friday. The evening closed out with some mind-blowing sets from Last Nubians and Ezra Collective, two of the best performances I and the people I was with had ever seen. As the sun set and I looked back across the past few festivals I’ve attended, I couldn’t help but feel this one felt the most ‘right’. Stood in the centre of a massive group of people, spanning a large range of ages, everyone was smiling, laughing, singing along. When times are hard, this is what it feels we should hold on to, magical moments like these. Photo Credit: @garryjonesphotography You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Our CROSS THE TRACKS 2025 Top Picks:
Our CROSS THE TRACKS 2025 Top Picks: Can’t wait for Cross The Tracks on Sunday? These are our must-sees. 22 May 2025 By Caitlin Taylor I still count Cross the Tracks 2022 as maybe my favourite festival experience ever so here’s hoping this year is more of the same. I’m not sure where else you’ll find a lineup this talented – Ezra Collective, Jordan Rakei, Michael Kiwanuka and Free Nationals all in one place. We’ve picked out a few of our favourites you should give a listen to before the headliners, maybe you’ll find a few new favorites. ESSENCE MARTINS – 12:05 pm @ The Caboose Stage We were early fans of Essence Martins here at TNAM, and she’s only grown greater as time has progressed. Her new album Sleeping On It showcases her talent as a singer/songwriter with relatable lyrics that’ll leave you reminiscing about your last breakup. Delicate and peaceful, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. FABIANA PALLADINO – 2:20 pm @ Locomotion Stage We’re all for bringing disco back in 2025, and it’s something Fabiana Palladino has been doing over the past year. Her critically acclaimed self-titled album set her apart from your typical pop act with funky beats and smooth vocals. We caught her last year at RALLY, and again at All Points East where she performed with the legendary Jai Paul, a regular collaborator of hers. NIA SMITH – 2:15 pm @ D-Railed Stage Nia Smith is perfect for a festival like Cross The Tracks. A singer/songwriter with a reggae influence and strong soul sound, she seems moments away from blowing up to Jorja Smith levels. Last year she performed at SZA’s Hyde Park takeover despite only having released her first song on streaming services a month before. Catch her before she hits the main stage. JGRREY – 1:30 pm @ Mainline Stage JGrrey is one of my absolute personal favourites. Her first release For Keeps in 2019 is still a regular play and her newest album If Not Now? Is equally as good. She’s still a leading force in the London RnB scene despite putting nothing on streaming for the past 2 years. Hopefully, her appearance at Cross The Tracks will set the stage for some new releases..? LULU. – 12:30 pm @ Mainline Stage LULU. (the full stop is intentional!) is another artist who only started releasing music very recently but is already selling out headline shows. Her music draws inspiration from her childhood growing up in the church and her love for afrobeats, the perfect music to dance to in the sun with your friends. It’s rare to find music that feels so genuine and uplifting – we’re excited to see her on stage! You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Our GALA 2025 Top Picks:
Our GALA 2025 Top Picks: Going to GALA festival this weekend? Here’s who we think you should see. 21 May 2025 By Caitlin Taylor If you’ve never been to the Peckham Rye DJ-focused festival GALA, you’re in for a treat. It’s pretty small, but their lineups always pack a crazy punch. Last year saw Joy Orbison, Girls Don’t Sync and Chaos in the CBD take to the park, and this year is somehow even better. We’ve put together a list of our top picks, if you’ve not yet got tickets hurry up! FRIDAY Savssounds is truly up and coming with a really eclectic mix of experience behind her. Her live set for Art Beyond the Shell made Nirvana’ Smells Like Teen Spirit a song that you could grind to. She recently started the club night Altverse focusing on black alternative music featuring the likes of The Internet, Doechii and Kaytranada, and also somehow manages to juggle both being a DJ and a financial consultant – a seriously talented woman. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SAVSSOUNDS (@savssounds) SATURDAY Amaliah is super popular at the moment, playing a crazy run of shows over the summer. Other than GALA, catch her at Shangri-La, Maiden Voyage and Boiler Room in Ibiza. She started DJing in 2018 after record collecting since her teens. Her sets are varied, she plays around with house, techno and UK funky and she started the collective Borne Fruits to showcase some of the best underground music, something we can definitely get behind. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amaliah (@amaliahppeche) If you’re maybe in the mood for something a little more retro, Portuguese-born London-based Mafalda is known for her brilliant taste in soulful disco tunes. She doesn’t believe in guilty pleasures, as she told Dust & Grooves “Good music is good music”. She radiates joy, so if you’re in the mood to feel good make sure you get to her set. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mafalda (@mafaldafromthesun) SUNDAY If you’ve been DJing for over two decades you better be good, and Michelle Manetti certainly is. Self-described as a ‘genre non-conformist’, she loves to experiment with a variety of genres from house to disco to acid. She also promotes and helps to curate multiple female/non-binary-focused club nights in East London including Femmme Fraiche. If you tend to spend your nights at Dalston Superstore, this is the set for you. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michelle Manetti (@michelle_manetti) Millie McKee is a standout on this list. Her taste skews more into the psychedelic, with percussive dub and spiritual jazz beats. Another decade-long vinyl collector, she even manages the record store Hidden Sounds on Ridley Road. Truly a Sunday vibe, and maybe a good one to add to your itinerary if you’ve attended all 3 days of the festival and are looking for something to chill out to. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
New EP: Nikhita “Solace”
New EP: Nikhita “Solace” Hailing from Scotland and based in Edinburgh, RnB artist Nikhita stuns with the release of her debut EP, Solace. 5 April 2025 By Sankavi Naresh Currently Listening to: This five track collection is a deeply introspective exploration of self worth, identity, troubled relationships and familial struggles-woven together with Nikhita’s entrancing vocals, live instrumentation and the soothing frequencies of Himalayan singing bowls. At the heart of Solace is Nikhita’s ethereal vocals, soaring effortlessly over a delicate neo soul and RnB soundscape, reminiscent of Cleo Sol and Raveena. Languid rhythms and radiant sonic textures blend seamlessly, inviting listeners to lose themselves in a space that is both reflective and healing. Solace is mesmerising from start to finish, but these three tracks are my personal standouts. “Lake Karachay” serves as a heartfelt introduction, the title being a nod to a Russian lake, once used by the Soviet Union to dump radioactive waste in. It’s aptly melancholic and hurt in its tone. Whilst “Insurance” eases you in from the beginning, maintaining an assertive presence without being brash or forceful. “Golden Child” is quietly empowering, its soulful melody tugging at the heartstrings. With imagery of “bangles stacked in gold” and “turmeric on her toes” and lines such as “you can come to me for anything”, there’s an allusion to finally reaching self-acceptance and self-love. The lyrics seem to reflect on a past self, in need of the love and compassion she delivers in this beautifully woven track. “Golden Child” is certainly a testament to Nikhita’s artistry and emotional depth. In her own words, Nikhita says “writing these songs was a place of solace for me, helping me navigate some challenging situations – and solace is what I hope others will find upon listening. I have always thought of music as an avenue for healing, and recently I’ve been learning more about how to intensify that effect sonically, in traditional ways, linked to my heritage. I play singing bowls on a few tracks – these instruments originate from the Himalayas and produce a set of overtones, creating vibrations which can aid in our meditative process and regulation of the nervous system. I am only just beginning my sound healing journey, and there is so much more I am eager to learn about using frequencies for healing.” Nikhita’s intention to utilise her music for healing is evident throughout Solace, which feels both rejuvenating and restorative. The EP acts as a cathartic release for Nikhita and her listeners; there’s something metaphysical and uplifting about it, transporting you to a safe, dreamlike space where worries are eased. Both her music and her lyrics pay homage to her heritage, intertwining personal narrative with cultural pride. Beyond the studio, Nikhita is no stranger to a live performance. She has graced stages at PITCH Scotland, Solas Festival, Kelburn Garden Party, and more. Nikhita’s growing reputation has been further cemented by praise from The Scotsman, Tenement TV, and multiple appearances on BBC platforms, including a notable live radio performance at Maida Vale Studios for International Women’s Day. Solace is more than just an EP. It’s an invitation into a healing space, where personal catharsis is married with innovative musical expression. Nikhita has firmly established herself as a rising RnB artist, ready to captivate audiences both on record and on stage. Catch Nikhita live on the following dates: 10th April 2025 – Solace EP Launch (Headline Show) – Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh 26th April 2025 – Poetry and live music night at Gallery Natami – Edinburgh You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
New Single: Demae “Ain’t Easy”
Born and bred North Londoner Demae is back with another tasteful track titled Ain’t Easy, released on the 24th of January this year.
With a soulful sound and clear R&B and Hip-Hop influences, Ain’t Easy is a light and dreamy soundscape where Demae is free to offload with introspective lyrics. The song has a strong backbeat and bass groove which you can’t help but jam to, but the smooth and silky vocals keep the mood chilled and relaxing. An effortless delivery and an easy listen.
It is exceedingly rare to discover an artist who is so responsive to evolution, and Taloula is one such extraordinary talent.
An independent singer, songwriter and producer, her vibrant, free-form musicality instantly marks her as one of the brightest musicians emerging across the R&B landscape right now. Her new album ‘T.E.O.T. II’ (The Evolution Of Taloula II) embodies authentic R&B and soul while balancing psychedelic textures co-produced by Taloula that feel as nostalgic as they are contemporary. Empowering vulnerability and the exploration of our existence, Taloula’s sonic journey towards inner peace will continue the heat surrounding one of London’s key new names crashing into wider consciousness.
Girlhood – ‘Kissing You’
To advertise press kit, bio, signed status, sold venue capacity, upcoming shows / releases, create your own TNAM Database profile and direct to contact box – sign up interest to TNAM Club here. Girlhood – ‘Kissing You’ Release Date: Release Type: Exposure: Genre: Location(s): Signed?: Current Venue Capacity : Streaming /Socials What do you think? You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
✧⋄⋆ Interview ⋆⋄✧ Raelle
Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Temi ✧⋄⋆ Interview ⋆⋄✧ Raelle Over the last 3 years, orchestral soul artist Raelle has been developing her beautifully warm and intimate live shows. Words by Callum Lidington 9 July 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcwbDKc8HS4 In that time, she has performed at a host of notable venues, including the Jazz Cafe, Village Underground, and now, for a second time, The Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall for her first sellout performance. The New Age Magazine caught up with Raelle after her show for a Fantasy Festival Q and A. She takes us from Norwich, to London, to France and even to Latin America, as she talks us through her journey so far, as well as her hopes, dreams and ultimate music festival fantasies. Raelle today you will be headlining your own fantasy festival, we’ll be discussing your dream venue, food, drink, and guest artists as well as your songwriting philosophy and your journey so far – Shall we take it back to the start – St Laurence Church in Norwich for Wild Paths Festival 2021, your first festival performance and I was blessed to catch it… What do you remember about that day? Yeah, it was very surreal for me, I could barely even digest the fact I was performing at a festival. It was very soon after I had started releasing music, so it was pretty like ‘whoa, this is a big thing for me’. It was a great day though, and it’s a beautiful venue. How have things changed in the 3 years or so between that performance at Wild Paths and yesterday’s performance at The Elgar Room? What hasn’t changed? Everything’s changed I think. Before I was very much still finding my voice, my feet, what I wanted to stand for, and what I wanted to sound like. I think I’ve grown within those three years, the way I look at music is super different and how I make music is really different. I really want my shows to be an immersive experience. I want to bring the audience into my world, and inside the songs with me. I think doing this is one of the biggest changes to how I perform. They are both stunning locations, and you’ve played at plenty of others in between, what’s been your favourite venue to play? Oh my God. My favorite? I really liked Village Underground supporting Marie Dhalstrom, that was sick, a really beautiful venue. I’ve seen so many acts there and then I was on the stage, I was like ohh OK, this is different now, that one felt like a really big deal for me. View this post on Instagram A post shared by rebekah lindo (@_raelleeee) But this is your Fantasy Festival – What would be your dream venue or destination? It has to be somewhere hot by the sea. It would be a mix of party and chill. Holistic, but also carnival style partying! There would definitely be an eclectic bunch of people in the crowd, and on stage, and I’d be there moshing in the middle! The day would end with us all chilling at the beach. The first people are arriving at your festival! They’re super excited for the day ahead but they are going to need some sustenance. At your Fantasy Festival what food and drink is everyone having? I really enjoy Latin American food and culture, so I’d probably have Colombian or Mexican food! I’ll go for crispy prawn tacos with guac, rice, beans and cheese. And to drink spicy margaritas with a chilli rim! Now whilst you prepare for your fantasy festival headline performance tonight, we have some of your recent collaborators keeping the crowd entertained – you worked with S.Fidelity, Collard and Gabiga on the single ‘Stolen’ released in November last year…What was it like working with all of them? They are my brothers for real! I love them all. It was such a beautiful experience as well the way that song came together, it was at this writing camp in France. S. fidelity, and I had been working together throughout the week, and it had come to the last day of the camp. We were sitting in this beautiful studio in the South of France and I just started playing this bass line, and then Gabiga got on the drums and started playing, then Collard started singing his verse. It all happened so organically. I think that’s how a lot of my new stuff is in the way that it’s happening. There’s a really organic process in the way it’s being made, and sounds, even the choice of words I’m using as well. I’m seeing S.Fidelity in Berlin soon to work on a new project! The time has come for you to take the stage. The crowd has been waiting for this moment. One of the reasons people are so excited to see you perform is for your lyricism. You’ve said in previous interviews music isn’t just about what sounds good, it’s about communication – your newest EP Bloodlines is a homage to the Windrush Generation and it’s crafted around a really beautiful and thought-provoking spoken word interlude… How important is it still to write music that brings attention and gives voices to people and events from history and the modern day? I try to have a message or story at the core of my songs, that way it lasts because it has that resonance. I don’t think that the human experience is something that is particularly changeable. I feel like people have experienced the same kind of range of emotions throughout history, but they just look different throughout different time periods through different lenses, but the feeling is always the same. If you’re able to capture that feeling in words, and then bring it out even more with the music, then I think you create a timeless piece. Who or what influenced your songwriting philosophy and attitude? I really
°✩ Gig Review ⋆｡ Raelle at The Royal Albert Hall
Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Temi °✩ Gig Review ⋆｡ Raelle at The Royal Albert Hall ‘It feels like the end of a chapter, a new beginning, I’ve gone full circle’, Raelle tells the audience. Words by Callum Lidington 9 July 2024 https://youtu.be/k3uz_KBkAE4 She gives snippets of the thoughts and feelings behind each song as she performs, with each bit of poignant dialogue bookended by the soulful vocals and free flowing compositions of her back catalogue. The chapter she is referring to being the first in her story – 3 years since she started putting music out in the London scene. As a writer it’s a journey I have seen at its start, and at its end, from her first festival performance at St Laurence’s church in Norwich for Wild Paths Festival 2021, to her first sold out show at The Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall in 2024. The Elgar Room has a natural warmth and intimacy, like that of an art-deco cinema with its grand nature and warm-dim lighting. Tonight’s show, she explains, is a display of ‘Raelle then, now and what she’ll become’, adding this could be the final outings for some of her earliest tracks, to well and truly move into a new chapter in her artistry. She opened with a cover of SWV’s ‘Rain’ before venturing into one of her earliest singles, the 2021 release ‘Purple Skies’, a track that, in its stripped back design, beautifully highlights Raelle’s vocal abilities, closing with some angelic harmonies. She continued to move effortlessly through her entire artistic evolution, ticking off the 2022 single ‘Grace’ which is a personal favourite with swooning strings and Raelle’s mesmerizing vocal control gripping attention from the candlelit circular tables and the rows of us standing to the back with our heads swaying. Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Elfreda @elffrbb Raelle and her band oozed a laid-back confidence and chemistry, which was clear to see and hear. Together they were a 10-piece band but Raelle said they felt more like a family. With so many musicians on stage at the same time, the set had a real free-flowing, jam-style feel, bouncing between slick solos on their respective instruments to punctuate Raelle’s soulful orchestral singles. She continued through to her latest single ‘Stolen’ featuring S.fidelity, Collard and Gabiga, a slick and soulful tune birthed from a group improv session in France. It’s a track that has had an overwhelmingly positive reception, racking up over 300,000 Spotify streams and becoming Raelle’s most popular song. It will likely be the first of a few collaborations we will be seeing from her over the coming months! In an interview after the show Raelle said that one of her biggest developments as a live performer was her desire to pull the listener into the song; to understand the intentions and messages in the lyrics and the headspace from which is written. This was definitely evident on this occasion, as she would give snippets about the next track’s inception after the close of the previous one. The level of intimacy and honesty to her interactions, in a venue that was already so warm felt like being reunited with an old friend, discussing the ‘remember when’s’ and ‘I can’ wait to’s…’ of life. The set closed with Raelle’s personal favourite song ‘Round Round’ which signified the end of her first musical chapter, with her second waiting eagerly to begin. She is working on some new singles with some exciting collaborators, and hopes to release a new project next year. WANT A PROFILE? JOIN TNAM DEMO CLUB Sign Up You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
₊ ⊹ Interview ⊹ ₊ Faye Meana at Cross the Tracks
@fayemeana on Instagram “Best time on Sunday @xthetracks big love to everyone who came down and watched❤️🔥” ₊ ⊹ Interview ⊹ ₊ Faye Meana at Cross the Tracks We spoke to soulful singer-songwriter and producer Faye Meana at Cross the Tracks ahead of her upcoming EP and brand new single ‘No Hay Que Llorar’. 14 June 2024 Words by Amalia Castle Interviews, New Releases R&B, Rhythmic Soul, Soul On the Rise Faye Meana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f0bdk4K_ss Having grown up on the outskirts of London, singer song-writer and producer, Faye Meana seemed to have escaped the frenzied capital which lay just a short car ride away from her growing up. With her childhood spent outdoors or keenly listening to her parents eclectic music collections – a concoction of indie, rock and roll, Motown, disco and 80s hits – Faye’s journey into loving, and ultimately making music, was natural and inquisitive. This marriage of her multifarious music taste and the slower pace of life outside the city, seems to have forged her ever-evolving and tender catalouge today. Faye’s discography is rooted in her passion for production and instrumentation, which emerged from a young age. “I started playing piano when I was five, and was classically trained. I was playing religiously. Piano was my life.” She had always enjoyed writing small pieces and stories, so taking the natural course of any devout musician, she began creating her own melodies. Locked into the software on her Macbook and creating her own sounds, she had finally materialised a unique canvas for her songwriting. Initially appearing on the scene with a balmy and rich neo-soul sound reminiscent of the legendary Erykah Badu and D’Angelo, Faye was also deeply influenced by the soulful and vocally excellent Motown records she grew up with. Her early releases like ‘4AM’ and ‘Patience’ were teeming with a pervasive warmth and it’s here she began revealing a delicate, yet emotional vulnerability in her songwriting. Now, we see Faye breaking down the walls between the genres that raised her. With those same balmy tones, the singer-songwriter and producer is experimenting with 80s electronica, indie pop and disco; emulating these retro sonics with startling authenticity. I was set to meet Faye an hour or so before her set, making it the first thing I did as I stepped through the gates of Cross the Tracks. The forecast had promised rain but it seemed the day had other plans for us, as I was welcomed into Brockwell Park with a warm breeze and a beating sun that appears in two minds at this time of year. Spirits were high, and were lifted even higher, as I was welcomed by Faye with a warm hug and her magnetising smile. We stood for a while catching up, watching her drummer play on the Caboose stage. We would later see Faye execute a confident and energising set of her classics, upcoming release and even an MJ cover on this very stage. Faye’s band is important to her, and a vital part of her passion for performance. “I love bouncing off of other people. Especially people that you get on with so well. It’s almost a comfort blanket in a way, playing with people that have your back and your best interests at heart” she tells me. So how are you feeling about playing at Cross the Tracks! This is actually my first festival so, I’m so fucking excited! Just to play a festival in the first place, but also for Cross the Tracks to be my first one, it’s just perfect. This has always been one of my favourite festivals to come to. I’m also playing with a new band this year (apart from my bassist who I’ve been playing with for seven years), it’s just come together perfectly and I’m so excited to play with them! You recently released ‘On & On’ which is a super funky track sporting a retro, electronic feel. What’s the story behind the track and your inspirations for this sound? I think like a lot of people know me for that neo soul sound, so to come up with something that’s more electronic and a little bit faster and more of a vibe, I definitely felt a little apprehensive but it’s been received really well. I’m always gonna have my stamp on a song, but I definitely think this sound that I’m evolving into is the true me and the sound I feel like most comfortable with. It’s also inspired by stuff that I’ve been listening to for years. Little Dragon was a huge inspiration for me in terms of production, so yeah I think that’s been on my mind a lot when I’ve been making this new electronic sound. View this post on Instagram A post shared by faye meana (mee-nuh) (@fayemeana) You followed on from this release with your latest single ‘No Hay Que Llorar’. Tell us a bit about this new release. I wrote No Hay Que Llorar as a reflection on not just my own experiences but also based on those around me, this is often the case in my writing. The whole preface of the song is kind of realising your self worth and inflicting change. ‘No Hay Que Llorar’ blends Spanish and English vocals to reflect a relationship in turmoil and all over a punchy, reggaeton inspired beat. How has the process been writing in another language? So I knew Spanish to a good level a couple years ago, but writing and being able to rhyme in other languages is a whole different ball game. The first song that I wrote, that was a fusion of Spanish and English, was hard for me to rhyme and then to make sense. But the first one gave me a push to be like ‘okay! I can do it!’. I’ve got two songs off the EP that have bits of Spanish in them and it feels nice, because though I’m not Spanish and or from a Spanish speaking country,