Meet John Newman, a young man with a whole lotta soul out of the U.K..
Perhaps you know him from his disco-soul song "Love Me Again," which hit No. 1 on the UK charts last year?
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And is currently No. 24 on iTunes!
Or maybe you recognize his voice on British electronic/dance group Rudimental's "Feel The Love" and "Not Giving In"?
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His big break in 2012!
Or maybe you caught his electric performance on Jimmy Fallon?
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Even if you haven't, get ready to hear a lot about this guy in 2014. He just released his debut album in the U.S. last week, after enjoying its successful No. 1 debut in Britain last October.
The Amy Winehouse comparisons that many people have made are not for nothing: Newman's music has clear Motown and '60s and '70s Northern Soul influences that can be traced back to his mother, who had the music playing all around the house while he was growing up in Settle, North Yorkshire. Marry those influences with the house music of the clubs he frequented in his teens, along with a healthy sampling of piano-driven pop, and you've got Newman.
Tribute is a high energy album, from the feverish "Cheating," told from the perspective of someone who forgives their unfaithful partner...
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... to the booming insomniac's anthem "Losing Sleep," which is filled with grand orchestral strings and handclaps.
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He's also an expert at crafting heart-wrenching ballads.
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"Down The Line," below, is especially heartbreaking, all about finding the right person at the wrong time... and wondering if they'll wait for you.
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"Out Of My Head" is another stunner:
And there are a lot of reasons to love this guy:
His style is basically that of Oliver Sim from The xx , but he designs his own suits and jewelry.
Man crush?
He does cute little dances when he gets nominated for awards.
And most of all... he's an AMAZING live performer.
And his dance moves are on point:
There's no doubt that John Newman is a rising star ready to bring some soul to pop...
... but he has some big shoes to fill.
