Tue 18 Feb 19:30pm
Welcome to the first edition of 2025 of Karousel’s music industry showcase with long time allies at SESAC & the MMF!
Four of the best acts you’re yet to discover, this month featuring Lo Lauren + May Roze + Pippa Crossland + The Jacques
LO LAUREN
Originating from Rochester in Kent, pop songstress Lo has spent the last few years developing her own unique sonic identity. Drawing inspiration from the pop icons of the 2010s that soundtracked her teens and blending it with her own honest, hook-driven songwriting, Lo’s music is a melting pot of nostalgic, ambitious and unapologetic pop, poised to stand the test of time.
On new single, ‘Before The Kiss’, she explores a more synth-pop side. The track perfectly describes that intoxicating feeling before a kiss.
She’s appeared on CBBC Saturday Mash Up and performed at The Hundred last year, alongside Cat Burns, Nell Mescal and Zara Larsson. Lo also gets great support from Spotify, who featured Before The Kiss in the likes of playlists including Young & Free (1.5 million saves), and Apple Music who included the track in Breaking Pop, amongst others.
MAY ROZE
Swiss-raised and now London-based, May Roze embodies her Aquarian spirit by continually reinventing herself. Her artistic journey began as a 3-year-old singer and stage performer, evolving into songwriting at 16, and ultimately emerging as a multifaceted singer, songwriter, and producer. Influenced by visionaries like Kate Bush, Sade, Björk, and Enya, she first honed her craft in musical plays at the age of 6, laying the foundation for her unique sound and identity.
May’s vocal prowess and resilience, refined under the guidance of international coaches like Nick Cooper (who has coached Beyoncé, Ciara, and Nicki Minaj), have taken her from gigging across Switzerland to recording at prestigious studios, including Metropolis in London, Electric Lady in New York, and studios in Paris.
Her music has received praise from outlets such as Notion, A&R Factory, and Vents, earning her spots on specialist radio and DSP playlists like EQUAL and Fresh Finds.
PIPPA CROSSLAND
Delivering soulful and alluring alt-pop for the new age, Pippa Crossland proves that classic, powerhouse vocals and catchy bops can go hand in hand. A Sheffield-raised singer-songwriter, Pippa has been articulating her most complex feelings through music for as long as she can remember.
Penning relatable, intimate lyrics alongside beautifully crafted melodies appealing to fans of the likes of Olivia Dean, Holly Humberstone and Arlo Parks, Pippa captivates listeners from the offset- and knows exactly what they’re going through.
Her latest self-released single ‘Sleep On It’ has got heads turning and people talking, with BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing tastemakers voicing their support, as well as being championed by Spotify as the covergirl of Fresh Finds UK & IE.
THE JACQUES
The bastard teenage love child of cockney guitar pop and just about anything that came out of New York during the early ‘00s, The Jacques are two sets of brothers, aged 16-21, who charge their Britpop bayonets against the modern view that rock and roll with clever lyrics is dying. Brought up on a diet of The Strokes, The Ramones, The Jam, The Lemonheads and Elvis Costello, they’ve been bringing their own brand of noisy pop punk to venues and festival stages all year.