Starshell - SuperLuva

Starshell is the first female artist signed to Mary J. Blige's Matriarch Records label. The newcomer has previously penned tracks for Kanye West & Mary J. but is now moving in front of the camera and the microphone. SuperLuva is her debut single, written by GaGa & produced by Fernando Garibay. The song & video are both 80's inspired, as evidenced by Starshell's homage to Kelly LeBrock in Weird Science.

Zebra & Giraffe - The Inside (SA)

Zebra and Giraffe are an alt-rock band based in Johannesburg. They released their debut album in 2008 which scored a number of top 10 hits on the South African charts. The Inside is the title track to their latest album and the video is futuristic and kind of menacing, but I will admit also slightly confusing.

Oh Land - Sun Of A Gun (DEN)

Compose
Oh Land "Sun of a Gun" from Oh Land Music on Vimeo.

Oh Land was trained at the Danish Royal Ballet Academy, but chose to pursue music full time following an injury. She performed at last year's SXSW where she caught the attention of some American record company folks and is putting the finishing touches on her first U.S. release. Her vocals are dramatically sweet and the video's aesthetic is rather the same.

Chris Brown - Yeah 3x

I'm always skeptical now of everything Mr. Brown puts out 'cause I'm not really in his "support camp". Yeah 3x is off his new album and is definitely a dance pop affair that I predict could do well on both sides of the Atlantic. Little kids, bright colors... this is quite a departure from the video of his latest hit single, Deuces.

Spark - Revolving

Spark is the stage name of 18 year old singer, Jess Morgan. She could definitely be an artist to look out for in 2011. She's got some rather nice vocals supported by an electropop sound. Revolving is her first single which sees release on November 15th in the UK.

Asa - Be My Man (FRA)

Asa (pronounce ASHA) is a French singer of Nigerian descent who I discovered almost 2 years ago, courtesy of her amazing debut album. Asa is back with her sophomore album and in Be My Man she channels a 60's soul groove.

Paralells - Dry Blood (CAN)

Parallels - Dry Blood (Official Video) from Parallels on Vimeo.

Parallels is a trio from Toronto that have been together since 2008. Their sound is electronic with some space disco thrown in, which is always a fun combination. They released their debut album, Visionaries, earlier this year. The video for Dry Blood is pretty awesome. The song is kind of addictive.

Burhan G feat. Nik & Jay - Tættere På Himlen (DEN)

One thing I love about music is that it's a universal language. Case in point, I don't speak a word of Danish, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying Tættere På Himlen (Closer To Heaven). That's what Google translate is for, folks! It's currently the #1 song in Denmark. The video has got a lot of pop stars in the flesh, so be warned & enjoy! Haha!

Willow Smith - Whip My Hair

Willow Smith is on the brink of turning 10 and she's got the planet buzzing with her debut single, Whip My Hair. The song is catchy and the video is visually brilliant. I love the message that she conveys and she comes across as a highly intelligent and likable girl. Go on, Willow! Shake off those haters & whip that hair!

Take That - The Flood (UK)

Take That - The Flood from Still Image Productions on Vimeo.

The first time I heard Take That was in 1995 when I was 8 years old. That's when they scored their only U.S. hit with the song, Back To Good. The following year the boy band disbanded and the guys all moved on to their own projects. 14 years later, Take That have reunited and plan to release their reunion album, Progress. I've had the lead single, The Flood, stuck in my head all weekend!

iSH - Priceless (CAN)

iSH is a Canadian singer & actor who my friend turned me onto earlier this year courtesy of his pretty awesome mixtape, The Name is iSH. He was raised in a musical family and trained at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. I would describe iSH's music as a mix of hip-hop, electro, and pop (all my favorite genres!). He's in the midst of recording an album, so I'm looking forward to hearing more from this guy in the new year.