IN ROTATION: Vol 1

Red Lotus & Goapele — Hello Darlin' Pt. 2

There's something timeless about this record. The melody is warm, vulnerable, and effortlessly nostalgic. It reminds me of the feeling songs like Come Close by Common featuring Mary J. Blige or Buddy by Musiq Soulchild gave us—those records that somehow became the soundtrack to long summer evenings.

The visuals deserve just as much attention. They're thoughtful, creative, and feel distinctly Red Lotus. Rather than following what's popular, he's building a visual language that feels entirely his own.

KWN — Risk It All

Sampling a song as iconic as Nelly's Hot in Herre is a risk in itself, but KWN pulls it off. Instead of relying on nostalgia, she uses it as a foundation to create something that feels fresh and current.

It's familiar enough to make you smile, but modern enough to earn its own place in the rotation.

LOVELY dey — The Dress

This one felt personal.

As a young Habesha artist from Toronto, Adey captures the push and pull of growing up between cultures with a level of honesty that's hard to ignore. She explores what it means to carry the history, sacrifices, and traditions of the people who came before you while navigating a world that often asks you to define yourself differently.

As someone who shares that experience, this one landed. Hard.

Johnny Venus — Shooter

Sometimes a song doesn't need to be complicated—it just needs to make you feel good.

Shooter has that effortless summer energy. The melody is infectious, the vocal runs are playful, and it's the kind of record that makes you instinctively turn the volume up. Bonus points if you're brave enough to try singing along to Johnny Venus' vocal choices.