Story

Sukhmani Unveils Powerful New Single “Not Your Exotic”

A sultry and energetic track, “Not Your Exotic” calls listeners to celebrate and honor both our diversity and inherent oneness.

Alt. pop singer-songwriter Sukhmani explores the complexities of belonging and identity in her poetic single, “Not Your Exotic,” out November 19th. This single follows the artist’s most recent release, “Divination,” and peels back to an even deeper layer of her already enticing artistic identity. The mix beautifully showcases Sukhmani’s rhythmic brilliance – in addition to her angelic vocals – with a masterfully layered, textured percussion line. Her hypnotic background vocals caress the melody in a silky blanket of colorful harmony and offer a captivating depth to the rich soundscape.

Pre-save “Not Your Exotic”

Not Your Exotic Cover Art.jpeg — This project is an important moment for the artist in which she speaks out on her experience as a woman of color navigating how to exist authentically between cultures. It warmly offers an opportunity to celebrate every facet that makes each of us unique and inherently connects us. “A common cultural practice I grew up with was welcoming guests to our home on auspicious occasions by spilling mustard oil at either side of the door,” says Sukhmani, “I want to invite listeners into the song as guests and family, always willing to meet each other openly, and celebrate together as one.”

Sukhmani appeals to listeners in the verse, “Girl, recognize me as my own, honor the way I’m kissed by the sun // tell me your stories and take mine on // no, oh there is no other.” At its core, this track implores listeners to honor diversity while acknowledging our inherent oneness. Sukhmani hopes that “listeners can see the song as the invitation for togetherness and inclusivity that it is,” calling us to take a look inward and reflect on our own misperceptions. Listeners can stream “Not Your Exotic” on all major streaming platforms on November 19th.

Sukhmani was born with a rhythm that is undeniable. Listeners feel the heartbeat of her music before realizing it is pulsing through their body. As one of the first female tabla players to emerge from the U.K., she has toured and recorded as a percussionist for years, playing on stage at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

Sukhmani was born into a Punjabi immigrant family in the United Kingdom, and grew up in Leeds where she was surrounded by the sounds of her Punjabi Sikh family, the Afro Caribbean community, and the city’s thriving music scene. She now brings her rare understanding of rhythm and percussion to her own music, delivering sultry vocals over deep, driving beats.

Sukhmani has accompanied artists such as Ajeet and Snatam Kaur on tour as a percussionist, where she “brings deep beauty, passion, and artistry to her playing.” In her transition to singing and songwriting, Sukhmani’s music connects with and empowers listeners to be fully and unapologetically themselves.

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Up Next

Exclusive Interview with New York Artist: Mar

Don't Miss

Kan Wakan returns with new single ‘No Sweat Off My Back’

Honk Magazine

Story

Kyle Ashen’s sun-drenched recollection with new release “That Local Girl”

Kyle Ashen’s latest release, “That Local Girl,” is a gorgeous trip down memory lane, a country single that explores that golden glow of memory, like flipping through old photographs touched by salt air and summer sunlight. It’s warm, cinematic, and deeply relatable, a song about the kind of love story that never quite goes away, even as time moves on.

“That Local Girl” is filled with imagery that quickly takes the listener into a world they can walk right into. You got a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl on a boardwalk street by the ocean, a souped-up truck driving through town, neon lights reflecting off the ocean breeze, and the electric innocence of young love burning in the background.

But under all that cutesy trapping is something more than that, longing. Some people, some places that leave permanent marks on Kyle Ashen and us know that. What’s so brilliant about this song is that it marries those two ideas, making love and hometown memory feel beautifully inseparable. Sometimes you miss a person. And with that person, you miss an entire version of life. “That Local Girl” is more than a country love song from Kyle Ashen. He is a living postcard from the past, sun-faded, bittersweet, and glowing with feeling. A reminder that summers pass by, but some memories stay with us forever.

Connect with Kyle Ashen on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Artist Spotlight

ECHOFLIP inspires faith and fire with triumphant anthem on “Kingdom Rise”

ECHOFLIP marches forward with commanding purpose on “Kingdom Rise,” a single that not only demands attention but also commands it. Driven by pounding drums, soaring melodic textures, and full-conviction lyricism, the song arrives like a battle cry with the heart of worship. Bold and energized and spiritually charged from beginning to end.

“Kingdom Rise” is street realism meets kingdom vision at its heart. It’s got grit in its pulse but grace in its message as well. Each bar rings with resilience with ECHOFLIP, a record that embodies struggle, perseverance, and steadfast faith in the face of adversity. The result is music that is rooted in reality while reaching for something much larger.

What makes the single particularly compelling is how seamlessly it combines high-energy Christian trap with uplifting spiritual themes. The hard-hitting production has edge and urgency, and its faith-centered focus gives it soul. It’s motivational without being pushy. Worshipful without momentum loss, without losing authenticity. Ideal for trap gospel, inspirational rap, and urban playlists that aim to uplift as much as energize, “Kingdom Rise” delivers on all fronts. It moves the body, it sharpens the mind, it stirs the soul.

Connect with ECHOFLIP on Spotify