Genre: Neo-soul, R&B
Sounds Like: Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu

Emeli Sandé is a 23-year-old Scotland-born singer and songwriter.

Equipped with a solid, soulful voice recalling both legends and contemporaries alike–from Lauryn Hill to Janelle Monae to Solange Knowles (who she’s already opened for on tour), Sandé is one of the promising new neo-soul talents on the scene…and it almost never happened.

After submitting one of her own songs to a Trever Nelson‘s BBC Urban Music competition years ago, the singer was offered several recording contracts as a finalist. Worried about inking a contract and allowing label control, Sandé ultimately chose schooling over songcraft–opting to attend Glasgow University instead to pursue a degree in neuroscience.

However, during a medical residency in Madrid, Sandé met producer Naughty Boy (Chipmunk, Ms. Dynamite), and the two instantly set forth in forging a musical partnership: Together they crafted “Diamond Rings,” a song that would result in Chipmunk’s first Top 10 single in the summer of ’09. And by March of 2010, Sandé was officially signed to Virgin Records.

Since then, Sandé has penned dozens of other tracks for other major UK pop acts including Cheryl Cole (“Boys”), Alesha Dixon (“Radio”) and Tinie Tempah (“Let Go”).

Having now put her medical aspirations on hold, Sandé has decided to return to once again pursue her musical path. And while she doesn’t yet have an official single out (look for a debut track to drop mid-summer), she does have a few official demos floating around, including “Easier In Bed.”

“Easier In Bed” is a gorgeous, hypnotic mixture of sweetly-sung vocals, hypnotic strings, and waves of ambient noise all set to a solid, tripping drum sample. “At night time we pretend / It’s easier in bed,” Sande croons on repeat during the falsetto-fied chorus.

While she’s still a long way away from a debut, the earliest rumblings suggest that Sandé’s going to be a major one to watch for in 2011.

For a free download of “Easier In Bed,” head to Sande’s official Facebook page, and check out her official website.

Alesha Dixon has just uploaded her new single onto YouTube and…

The beat is exactly the same as Robyn‘s “Dancing On My Own.” Like, literally.

I mean, I guess it’s alright (mostly because the melody is completely different), but that opening synthesizer line will never be dissociated from Robyn’s original masterpiece in my mind.

Oh yeah, and the actual song is like a cross between a slower version of The Sugababes‘ “About You Now” and something boring.

Let’s stop going the route we’re going and bring back the “Lipstick,” Dixxy darling!

Meet Andrea Lewis.

Perhaps you’ve seen her around: The actress-turned-singer is best known for her role as Hazel Aden in five seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation, as well as a role in Nickelodeon’s first ever musical, Spectacular!

Now, feel free to add “One to Watch” to her repertoire.

On October 10 (10/10/10), Lewis will be unleashing a free album on her blog (Those Girls Are Wild–which I am assured is not porn).

“Voodoo” is the first single from the upcoming effort.

Despite what you might assume from an actress-turned-singer, “Voodoo” is not the by-the-numbers electro-pop track you may be expecting: Like her Degrassi roots, Lewis’ single goes there.

“Let’s get it!” Lewis yelps in the track’s first few opening seconds. Accompanied by funk-ified hand claps, organs, and spacey synthesizers, Lewis’ voice is fiery and earnest–like a cross between Alesha Dixon and Janelle Monae–allowing her to riff and leap through the song’s catchy melodies with ease.

The track, which was co-penned by Lewis and her partner, Ty Lorraine, was produced by Ty Steez.

If the rest of the album is as top notch a production as “Voodoo,” someone’s going to have a record deal very soon. After all, a music career spun from the roots of Degrassi seemed to work nicely for Drake, didn’t it?

DL: Andrea Lewis – Voodoo

Andrea Lewis’ upcoming album, 54321, will be released on October 10 on her website.

Christ on a Christmas cracker–the 2010 BRIT Award nominations are in!

I can’t believe it’s time already for the ceremony to begin once again. It seems like only yesterday I was sitting in my bed watching in disbelief as Gaga robo-danced her way on stage with pieces of shattered china plates glued to her lady bits. Ahh, memories.

As per usual (see 2009), I’ve gone ahead and bolded my favorites for the crown and added a few insightful comments and/or snooty one-liners to the end of each category.

And awayyy we go! (Thanks to The Guardian for the full list of nominees.)

Click to read…

Here now is the second single off of MPHO‘s upcoming debut Pop Art, “See Me Now.”

As you can see/hear, it is an all-around “good” track with lots of strings and hand-clappy bits. The beat brings Alesha Dixon‘s “Let’s Get Excited” to mind and, for some reason, Nelly Furtado‘s “Say It Right” for no reason in particular.

The single will be released on October 12, one week before the October 19 release of Pop Art.

Purchase more MPHO on iTunes UK | MySpace | Official Website

Yet another surprise for the day: Alesha Dixon currently finds herself at #13 on the UK charts with “Breathe Slow,” a position based on downloads alone! The single is not due for a physical release for another two weeks.

Surely the video must have helped. Perhaps all Alesha needed was to take heed of her own music and breathe for a minute. From “Lipstick” to “The Boy Does Nothing,” the woman does nothing but riff and scat her way through the melodies at a cheetah’s pace without missing a beat and a-woo-woo-woo!

Can’t you just hear that last bit in her scratchy, cat voice? Because I can…And now I’m hearing “Knockdown” on repeat in my mind.

Then again, the mixes are rather brilliant.

“Breathe Slow” is due for release on February 9 in the UK.

Click here to pre-order “Breathe Slow” now!

Just kidding.

Literally…SPOT ON. Excellent job, Girls of the Babes variety.