GRAND FINAL PERFORMERS SHEPPARD ANNOUNCE BRAND NEW ALBUM ‘KALEIDOSCOPE EYES’

Less than 48 hours before they make history by performing in the coveted half-time slot at the first ever AFL Grand Final held outside of Victoria, pop-powerhouse Sheppard have announced the details of their brand new album “Kaleidoscope Eyes”, scheduled to land on February 19, 2021.

Two years in the making, ‘Kaleidoscope Eyes’ marks the multi-award winning band’s third full length release, and their first album since 2018’s ‘Watching The Sky’ debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Charts. It also marks a new, more self-confident side of Sheppard.

Coming off of three back-to-back world tours, two major album cycles, multiple awards and several years cooped up together in hotels and airport lounges, Sheppard spent 2019 writing, recording and taking time to discover who they are now, as young adults with established careers, rather than a new band chasing accolades and seeking acceptance.

No longer labelled purely as just the kid siblings that took the world by storm with ‘Geronimo’, the pressure of churning out hit singles had lifted and the realisation that they could live their lives for themselves became apparent for the first time in years. With the advent of COVID-19, the band joined the rest of the country in a journey of working out what was truly important in life.

The band rediscovered “normal” life outside of touring; Amy Sheppard kick-started a global body-positive movement called Kiss My Fat Ass and got engaged to her longtime partner Lachlan; Emma Sheppard found solace in smaller moments in life, building an epic caravan house with her partner and George continued to grow as a father and explore new artistic avenues.

As the band — now a core three-piece of founding members and siblings George, Amy and Emma — prepare to release their third album they’re sounding more assured and effortless than ever, building anticipation as they drip-feed their irresistible, big-hearted pop into the world, one song at a time.

Starting in the early stages of 2020, Sheppard began their self-imposed challenge of releasing one single per month for an entire year, slowly bringing together the many elements of ‘Kaleidoscope Eyes’.

“Somewhere along the album’s journey, I became obsessed with the idea of a kaleidoscope” Said George Sheppard. “To most people it might just be a tube with pretty shards of glass, but to us it represented so much more.

“Each time you look into a kaleidoscope, you are looking at something in a new light. It’s often bittersweet, because the slightest change can shift the entire picture forever” Said Amy Sheppard of the meaning behind the record ‘On the other hand, if you continue to tumble, you’ll eventually find new beauty in a different arrangement of the same pieces. It’s a strangely beautiful metaphor for love  and how the world seems much brighter when you’re in love. That message has managed to wind its way throughout the entire record”.

With stories of love, loss, heartbreak and happiness from all angles, the richly coloured tapestry of experiences, both ordinary and extraordinary, came together to form ‘Kaleidoscope Eyes’, a celebration of a tumultuous yet enriching couple of years, with music becoming the glue that held the band together.

“Kaleidoscope Eyes is an album dedicated to the wonders of love, in every form. With love, the world is a more colourful place. Spread it, make it, give it, feel it, appreciate it, and do your best not to lose it.” said George Sheppard.

Boasting over three and a half million listeners per month on Spotify, over 770 million streams across all platforms, a handful of #1’s and Top Ten hits in multiple countries around the world, Sheppard have already achieved more than most bands could dream of in their lifetime. And they’re only just getting started.

LIME CORDIALE LANDS 8 ARIA AWARD NOMINATIONS

Topping the ARIA Award nominations board last week with eight nods including Song Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Pop Release and Best Group, today, Lime Cordiale reveals Reality Check Please. The sumptuous and breezy new single will appear alongside five brand new tracks on 14 Steps To A  Better You (Relapse) - a deluxe edition of their ARIA #1 album available Friday 13 November via Chugg Music.  

“It’s sometimes hard to know who’s crazy these days. Is it me, or is it you? Maybe it’s them. Who’s not overwhelmed?! We’re overstimulated most of the time and the key to a reality check is having a break from it all,” says Louis of Reality Check Please.   

“That’s the 15th step to the album,” adds Oli.  “The streets and venues might be empty but it’s overcrowded in our heads. You need to turn everything off in order to put it into perspective.”

Faced with the inevitable ‘2020’ downtime in the lead up to the release of their second album in July, the Leimbach brothers remained prolific throughout this period writing six new tracks that is arguably some of their best work to date. “It didn’t feel like we were writing for another album, these songs felt like unfinished business. We’re excited to be able to deliver six new ‘steps’ for those that didn’t feel fulfilled with the self-help guide we’d already given. For those that have relapsed, this one’s for you,” muses Oli of Relapse. 

Landing at #1 on the ARIA album chart, with the highest first week sales for an Australian artist album in 2020, 14 Steps To A Better You boasts a string of outstanding hook laden singles including Dirt Cheap, Money, Robbery, Inappropriate Behaviour, Addicted To The Sunshine, On Our Own and Screw Loose. A navigation device for those who got lost, the triple j feature album is a parody of self-help books and its songs represent “lessons” on how to be your best self. With over 172 million streams combined, high rotation on US College Radio, airplay on BBC Radio 1 and a mammoth four songs under 40 in the triple j Hottest 100 of 2019, 14 Steps To A Better You has cemented Lime Cordiale’s position as one of nation’s most beloved acts. 

With recent performances as special guest for Tones and I in North America and confirmed to perform at Splendour in the Grass 2021, Lime Cordiale’s wildly enthusiastic following has seen them play more than 100 shows across the globe in the 18 months, including 27 sold-out performances on their recent Speakeasy tour, earning a fierce reputation for one of the most talked about live shows in the country.  Next, they’ll perform two-sold out shows in Newcastle for the Great Southern Nights, in addition to rescheduled sold-out performances in Adelaide and Brisbane. 

14 Steps To A Better You (Relapse) tracklist:
1. That’s life
2. Unnecessary Things* 
3. Robbery
4. No Plan To Make Plans
5. Still Vulnerable*  
6. Inappropriate Behaviour 
7. Addicted to the Sunshine
8. Dignity*
9. On our Own
10. We Just Get By
11. Reality Check Please*
12. Money
13. Screw Loose
14. Popeye Had Spinach*
15. Elephant In The Room
16. Dirt Cheap
17. Ticks Me Off*
18. Can’t Take All The Blame
19. Dear London 
20. Following Fools

*Shiny and new.

CHUGG MUSIC ANNOUNCES NEW ASIAN OFFICE

Following the success of artists Sheppard, Lime Cordiale and Mia Rodriguez in the Asian region, Chugg Music are proud to announce that they have opened Chugg Music Asia, to be run by Michael De Lanty.
 
Michael “Mick” De Lanty, an Australian expat and well-known music industry executive now based in Bangkok has worked across the board including A&R, Artist Management, Marketing, Sales, Publishing, Promotions and Brand Development making him the perfect candidate to oversee this exciting new venture.

A great deal of Mick’s career (15 years) was spent with Sony Music Australia and he has also worked with Independent Labels in Asia and Australia, as well as in the UK.
 
Chugg Music are thrilled to have Mick join the team.  “Having been involved in many projects since the late 80s I am excited to actually be planting the Chugg Music flag in the region. Andrew (Stone) and I are thrilled to announce that my long-time friend and colleague, Michael De Lanty, is running the operations from his Bangkok base. After 5 months testing the waters we have no doubt that this will be a great step forward for both Australian and Asian music” said Michael Chugg.
 
“I am delighted to be working with Chuggi, Andrew & their team, in launching Chugg Music Asia and very excited for the opportunity to help develop the careers in Asia of the formidable roster of artists that they have assembled, including Sheppard, Lime Cordiale, Mia Rodriguez, Casey Barnes, to name but a few . It is an exciting period for music in Asia and no better time to introduce these incredible artists to Asian music lovers” said Michael De Lanty.
 
Asia is a diverse and rapidly developing music behemoth that is attracting the eyes and ears of the world more than ever before.  Apart from South Korea and their success with K-Pop, countries such as China, Vietnam and India are fast emerging as territories with vast opportunities within the music industry landscape.
 
The first project released by the Chugg Music Asia office is Sheppard’s Somebody Like You performed by Sheppard and Taiwanese singer Sammy in Mandarin and English. The track was released Worldwide on 18 September, 2020 and the music video can be viewed HERE.
 
The collaboration is already attracting strong support from MTV Asia, Channel V Asia, as well as from radio in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore.  The label is also seeing online media support in Taiwan and greater China with multiple stories appearing to date.
 
Sheppard’s foray into the Asian markets doesn’t stop in Taiwan and the band are also recording tracks with artists from Korea, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
 
Chugg Music Asia have also begun opening doors for Lime Cordiale across Asia already receiving strong support from China’s NetEase freemium streaming service, and other Asian media.
 
Japan, the world’s 2nd largest market for music also provides incredible opportunities and Chugg Music Asia will be working closely with Japanese music industry powerbrokers to create opportunities for all their artists.
 
Chugg Music Asia will be building strong platforms across the 12 major territories to enable its artists to achieve their goals, taking their music to the vast population of Asian music lovers.

WHO IS THIS BAND, AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH SHEPPARD?

AUSTRALIAN SIBLINGS SHEPPARD HAVE LEFT THEIR POP BOPS IN THE CALIFORNIAN DESERT AND RETURNED HOME WITH SOMETHING VERY, VERY DIFFERENT

Heavy basslines, crunchy rhythmic guitars and a riding, Californian-tinged breakdown. This isn’t the same sound that Sheppard is known for...this isn’t the same band that fans have come to know and love...this is something completely different, in the best possible way.

Say hello to ‘Catalina’, the latest single, and a brand new side of Aussie band Sheppard!
First conceptualised in LA during a month-long writing session, before being finished in their hometown of Brisbane Australia, the band’s August-release ‘Catalina’ has been three years in the making. 

“We were so inspired by California when we were there, that a song about California basically wrote itself” Said Amy Sheppard, whose vocals lead the new single. “It depicts a racy story of two lovers, sunglasses on and roof down, driving through the Californian desert with the sun in their faces and their real lives in the rearview mirror. This track isn’t your typical Sheppard sound, but I can’t remember the last time we had this much fun recording a single”.

Fans who have come to know Sheppard for iconic hits like ‘Coming Home’,‘Kiss My Fat Ass’, ‘Symphony’ and of course ‘Geronimo’ may be taken aback by the band’s new direction; pop-synths and piano ballads have been replaced by a collection of Californian-inspired guitar hooks and heavy beats, and arena sized euphoria has been switched out for stadium-sized rock.

Catalina also marks the first Sheppard track of 2020 to feature lead vocals from Amy Sheppard, who was last seen at the helm during her globally recognised movement for ‘Kiss my Fat Ass’.

Now officially eight months into their ‘one release per month’ project, Catalina is proof in the pudding that Sheppard aren’t interested in slowing down. They’re only getting started.

Since the release of ‘Don’t Believe In Love’ back in February, Sheppard have taken fans on a rollercoaster journey through issues of the heart, with one track each month showcasing a different side of love.

‘Don’t Believe In Love’, the bands anti-Valentines day song shined a light on common problems in relationships, while their release for March -  ‘Somebody Like You’ - looked at the trouble with dating the same person over and over again. April had Sheppard trying to get back home to their loved ones on ‘Come Back’ and In May they said ‘Thank You’ to their mum Linda with a very special Mothers Day single. As 2020 hit the halfway point in June, Sheppard showed what falling in love looks like, with ‘Symphony’ injecting a much needed dose of hope into a world in chaos.

THE AUSTRALIAN POP STARLET RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘Beautiful & Bittersweet”

 “Psycho proves Mia is a force to be reckoned with in the local pop scene.”- Nick Findlay triple j

"...instantly catchy and memorable, and will be one that you’ll want to hit replay over and over again." - Thomas Bleach

Australian pop artist Mia Rodriguez has followed up her smash single ‘Psycho’ with another dark, catchy as hell tune, the devilishly honest ‘Beautiful & Bittersweet’.

“The title of the song is pretty self-explanatory.” Mia explains. “It’s written about a toxic relationship (or friendship!) that you can’t seem to escape, because the good times seem to pull you back in. I wrote it about some of my past experiences and it seems to be a problem no one really talks about. It is really hard to cut people out of your life, so I hope this song can be a little push into realising that you need some self-care and cut those people off baby!”

Co-written by Mia and produced with Dave Hammer (Lime Cordiale, Thundamentals, Jeffe), ‘Beautiful & Bittersweet’ follows her debut single ‘Emotion’ and breakthrough hit ‘Psycho’ which has been streamed over 5 million times and was the most played song on triple j shortly after release.

Mia Rodriguez is part of the new generation of pop stars. She’s an artist that understands her audience better than anyone else. An early adopter of Tik Tok, Mia now has over 2 million followers. Creating her own music was a natural step and one her fans have enthusiastically embraced. On You Tube she now has a 138,000 strong community following her every creation.

In early August, with the lack of opportunity for live performances due to the ongoing COVID19 restrictions, Mia chose You Tube for her debut live performance. Supporting Sydney surf pop dudes Lime Cordiale, Mia performed ‘Psycho’ as part of the You Tube Music Sessions series. With drums, keys and guitar, Mia gave her fans a glimpse of what her future live performances will look like. And they weren’t disappointed. Check out ‘Psycho’ live HERE.

Mia Rodriguez - “Beautiful & Bittersweet” - Out Now

LIME CORDIALE LANDS AT #1 ON THE ARIA ALBUM CHART

+ HIGHEST FIRST WEEK SALES FOR AN AUSTRALIAN ARTIST STUDIO ALBUM IN 2020
+ 14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU OUT NOW

 “..freewheeling experiments with beating heart.” - NME | 4 STARS

“14 Steps To A Better You has surpassed expectations and placed them among this country’s proudest exports.” - ROLLING STONE | ALBUM OF THE WEEK

"...a scintillating soundtrack to our modern world.” - HAPPY

"...the latest release from Lime Cordiale is as sharp and pointed as it is powerful and fun." - MAN OF MANY

"..a playful, sonically rich effort that proves the power of a catchy hook." - MIXDOWN

"Lime Cordiale's second album is a summery dose of indie-pop festival sunshine, coloured with celebratory drips of reggae, soul, '70s soft-rock, roots and Beach Boys harmonies." - CANBERRA TIMES

Lime Cordiale has romped into the #1 position in the ARIA Album Chart this week with their acclaimed studio album 14 Steps To A Better You via Chugg Music and London Cowboys.  Brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach have also achieved the highest first week album sales for an Australian artist studio album 2020, in addition to a staggering 34 sold-out shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle and Adelaide.

“Lime Cordiale are one of the two acts I started Chugg Music with eight years ago after I saw them play a small room in Sydney.  Along with my partner Andrew Stone and the wonderful team we have assembled at Chugg Music, we always believed that the brothers Louis & Oliver had the licks and ability to rise to the top. They’re two of the nicest, loveable, funniest and original characters in the music world with thousands of fans all over the world.  Having the #1 Australian album is a dream come true and trust me this is just the beginning,” says Michael Chugg AM, Executive Chairman of Chugg Entertainment & Chugg Music of the achievement.

“We are so proud of the band and the team at Chugg Music for this result. It was a great week for Australian music, and a great week for independent artists and labels here in Australia. The response from the industry on their success has been overwhelming! Everyone is so happy to see a band that has kept their head down and kept releasing music and playing shows do so well. It’s a win for artist development, great A&R and a committed label and management team behind the scenes who love and support great music and great artists," adds Andrew Stone, Head of Chugg Music. 

A navigation device for those who got lost, 14 Steps To A Better You erupts with a string of outstanding hook laden singles including Dirt Cheap, Money, Robbery, Inappropriate Behaviour, Addicted To The Sunshine, On Our Own and latest single Screw Loose.  The triple j feature album is a parody of self-help books and its songs represent “lessons” on how to be your best self.  Packed with incisive commentary about their mates, lovers and the world at large it represents how far they’ve come, both sonically and personally. With over 120 million streams combined, high rotation on US College Radio, airplay on BBC Radio 1 and a mammoth four songs under 40 in the triple j Hottest 100 of 2019, 14 Steps To A Better You is set to be one of the year’s most beloved albums.

Over the last 18 months the band have gained huge international momentum culminating in signing a co-management deal with Sydney-based Chugg Music headed up by Andrew Stone and Michael Chugg and multi-platinum selling global megastar Post Malone and his manager Dre London.  With recent performances as special guest for Tones and I in North America and confirmed to perform at Splendour in the Grass 2021, Lime Cordiale’s wildly enthusiastic following has seen them play more than 100 shows across the globe (with just under 50,000 tickets sold) in the past year alone, earning a fierce reputation for one of the most talked about live shows in the country.

LIME CORDIALE - TOUR DATES
LIVE ALBUM SPEAKEASY - SOLD OUT

MONDAY 6  JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
MONDAY 6  JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 7 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 7 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 8 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 8 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW -LATE |  SOLD OUT
SATURDAY 11 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
SATURDAY 11 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
SUNDAY 12 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
SUNDAY 12 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 14 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 14 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 15 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 15 JULY |  OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 16 JULY |  THE TIVIOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - SOLD OUT
FRIDAY 17 JULY |  THE TIVIOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - EARLY | SOLD OUT
FRIDAY 17 JULY |  THE TIVIOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - LATE | SOLD OUT
MONDAY 20 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
MONDAY 20 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 21 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 21 JULY | OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 29 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 29 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 30 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - EARLY | SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 30 JULY | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE, NSW - LATE | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 4 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - EARLY | SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 4 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - LATE | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 5 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - EARLY | SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 5 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - LATE | SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 6 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - EARLY |  SOLD OUT
THURSDAY 6 AUGUST | THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, QLD - LATE |  SOLD OUT
SATURDAY 8 AUGUST | THE THEBARTON, ADELAIDE, SA | SOLD OUT

LIME CORDIALE REVEAL NEW SINGLE & VIDEO SCREW LOOSE

+ NEW ALBUM 14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU OUT FRIDAY 10 JULY

“Lime & co. have nailed the art of the impossibly catchy hooks and this is no exception… is going to be stuck in your head for days.” - TRIPLE J

“Lime Cordiale are fast proving themselves to be one of the most impressive bands in the land… this time next year they’ll be exclusively playing arenas. Possibly with airhorns.” - THE GUARDIAN

“Their nostalgia-infuses bangers transcend you to a breezy landscape whilst their rays of idiosyncratic surf is ultimately a summertime forever kinda vibe.” -  NOTION

Today, Lime Cordiale reveals new single, Screw Loose in the lead up to their second studio LP, 14 Steps to a Better You, out Friday 10 July via Chugg Music and London Cowboys. To celebrate the release, this week the band announced a series of shows ‘Lime Cordiale Live Album Speakeasy’ at Oxford Art Factory -  with two performances per night capped at 70 seats per show, all 14 performances sold-out on announce.
 
A gloriously sunny and buoyant track with a sludgy, ska-like vibe, Screw Loose was written by brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach on a sleepless night in Los Angeles.  Possibly autobiographical, it was penned about an unruly and unpredictable character.   “We were laughing throughout the whole writing process,” says Louis of the track. “The great thing about working with our producer Dave Hammer is that he never says, “no”. Most of the time he just wants to take things further. The kookaburra laugh at the end of the song has been there from the start and we always thought someone would try to convince us to take it out. It’s a pretty dominating sound and very Australian but it places the song in the environment that we want it to be in,” he adds.  
 
The accompanying video features tripped out animation and follows the brothers on an adventure into the Australian wilderness in search of psychedelic relief. “It’s a great feeling to have such a hardworking and talented team behind you. Other than our band and producer, we have Jack Shepherd who has not only directed all of our recent music videos but has been a big part of the visual side of everything. Our mate Joe Brown did the animation for our Dirt Cheap music video. For Screw Loose, these guys have teamed up together to make a half filmed, half animated psychedelic and wacky video. We filmed the music video over three days on the other side of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. We wanted the video to feel like you’re going a bit insane yourself and these wackos did a great job of that,” says Oli of the video.
 
If their debut album Permanent Vacation was a permission slip to go your own way, 14 Steps To A Better You is a navigation device for those who got lost.  Featuring a string of outstanding hook laden singles including Dirt Cheap, Money, Robbery, Inappropriate Behaviour, Addicted To The Sunshine and On Our Own, the album title is a parody of self-help books and its songs represent “lessons” on how to be your best self.  Packed with incisive commentary about their mates, lovers and the world at large it represents how far they’ve come, both sonically and personally. With over 100 million streams combined and high rotation playlisting on triple j and a staggering four songs under 40 in the Hottest 100 of 2019, 14 Steps To A Better You is set to be one of the year’s most beloved albums.
 
Over the last 18 months the band have gained huge international momentum culminating in signing a co-management deal with Sydney-based Chugg Music headed up by Andrew Stone and Michael Chugg and multi-platinum selling global megastar Post Malone and his manager Dre London (READ MORE VIA BILLBOARD). Their wildly enthusiastic following which has seen them storm headline shows and festival sets back and forth across the globe touring constantly and country Lime Cordiale played more than 100 shows selling out shows (just under 50 thousand tickets sold) and earning a reputation for one of the most talked about live shows in the country.

SHEPPARD CONCEPTUALIZE WHAT FALLING IN LOVE LOOKS LIKE AS ‘SYMPHONY’ STARTS TO MAKE WAVES GLOBALLY

SHEPPARD RETURN WITH A VIVID NEW MUSIC VIDEO AS STREAMING NUMBERS FOR ‘SYMPHONY’ TAKE OFF.

If you’re lucky enough to know the elated and euphoric feeling of meeting someone who’s electrifying, then you might see some truth in Australian band Sheppard’s latest kaleidoscopic music video. Taking on the challenge, the band endeavoured to explore a visual representation of what to most cannot be described… the feeling of falling in love.

Having released their brand new single to the world in June, Sheppard have returned to release an animated and iridescent new music video for certified pop hit ‘Symphony’, as streaming numbers climb by the hundreds of thousands in Australia, Europe and the Americas.

From the United States to Russia and Japan; from as far north as Canada and as far south as New Zealand, Symphony’s streaming numbers continue to rise, following an eerily similar trajectory to the band’s global number 1 ‘Geronimo’ and proving that Australian band Sheppard are back, in a big way.

Written in December 2019 during a song writing trip to LA with hit makers The Orphanage (frequent collaborator with Demi Lovato, Alessia Cara), Sheppard’s latest single ‘Symphony’ is

an unashamedly joyous pop song, teeming with their reliably polished hooks, smothered in infectious melodies and bursting with overwhelming euphoria.

“There’s not a single minor chord in this song, just a massive, uplifting declaration of love” Said George Sheppard. “Our previous singles from the upcoming release have all been love songs, but with hints at deeper, more serious topics. On Symphony, we wanted to go all out and write a huge, stadium sized pop song”.

In order to match the intensity of ‘Symphony’ and accurately bring their symbolic vision to life, Sheppard called on Gold Coast based creatives Bleo, to unveil a music video that was brimming with colour, movement and bursting with both heart and humour.

“When you’re in love all the colours of life appear brighter, happier and more lively.” Said Amy Sheppard “So, for the “Symphony” music video, we wanted to capture the experience of falling in love and what that would look like if you could see it. We felt that integrating animation into the clip was a fun and vibrant way of portraying “Love”.

“A person with Synaesthesia will often experience something called joined perception where they can see and sometimes even smell the music they’re listening to.” Said George Sheppard “This idea was a major inspiration for the music video as we speculated what love would look like if you could actually see it!”

With Australia’s creative industry in limbo due to COVID-19, Sheppard called upon their real-life partners to star, alongside an all-local crew; from hair and makeup, to directors, film crew and editors. “COVID-19 has had a huge impact on those working in the creative field” Said Amy Sheppard. “So, we wanted to make sure that we were hiring as many local creatives as possible for this shoot!”

For band members and siblings George, Amy and Emma, Brisbane plays a much bigger role in the music video than just an arbitrary backdrop. “We were lucky enough to all find love in Brisbane” Said Emma Sheppard “So, it only felt natural that our beautiful home city should be showcased as the setting of the new video”.

CASEY BARNES CONTINUES HOT STREAK WITH #1 ARIA AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY ALBUM

#1 - AIR 100% Indie Albums

#2 - Indie Label Albums

#2 ARIA Country Albums

#4 ARIA Australian Albums

#16 ARIA Albums

Listen to ‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ here.

Casey Barnes is continuing a hot streak with his new album ‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ rocketing to the top of the charts debuting as the #1 Australian Country album on the ARIA Chart.

Celebrating a whole slew of wins, ‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ landed at #16 on the Albums Chart, #4 on the Australian Albums Chart and #2 on the Country Albums Chart.

‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ also took the top spot at #1 on the AIR 100% Indie Album Chart and #2 on the AIR Indie Label Albums Chart.

The album is the #1 album across all genres on the iTunes Chart, has already been streamed over 2.34 million times and landed Casey on the front cover of Amazon’s Country Hits. Casey is set to continue the celebrations later this week with four nominations at the Gold Coast Music Awards in the categories; Artist Of The Year, Live Act Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Video Of The Year.

‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ offers a much-needed hiatus of hope and happiness with a glorious injection of 10 superbly crafted tracks that meld slick country, pop and rock production with relatable lyrics that can’t help but make you smile.

The lead single Sparks Fly has ignited across Australia, holding the top spot on The Music Network’s Hot Country chart for four weeks out of five weeks, showing some strong competition against The Dixie Chicks latest Gaslighter, and rose to the top of Australian Country Radio’s Top 10 chart twice since release.

“Sparks Fly centres on that magical moment when you look at someone and they look at you and you both have that instant 'spark'. A feeling that's hard to beat! It was inspired while on a writing trip in the U.S last year where I teamed up with Nashville based songwriters Brown & Gray and we tapped into the back story of when I first met my wife... and that initial chemistry between the two of us," said Casey.

The album has features the chart topper A Little More, which has generated over a million steams and peaked at #2 on The Music Network Hot Country Chart, and a gorgeous number with Missy Lancaster, No Other You that Stack Magazine’s Jeff Jenkins called “one of the year’s finest ballads”.

“Town of A Million Dreams' is an album title that leaves it's interpretation up to the individual listener and that's the beauty behind this album; how in essence everybody starts out in their own home town with hopes and dreams of where they want to be,” said Casey. “On a personal level the title is a lyric drawn from one of the tracks on the album 'Bright Lights' which focuses on my ongoing relationship and love of Nashville over the last 10 years. It's this incredible melting pot of talent, from all genres. Musicians, artists, producers all with their own unique story and dream. It just felt like the perfect title for the album.”

Continuing on with high energy, Casey has captured his fans with new and creative ways to stay connected during the harrowing atmosphere of COVI-19. His live streamed performances and catch-up chats, hosted every Wednesday and Sunday are consistently reaching over 75, 000 fans.

ISOLATION BRINGS BACK OLD MEMORIES IN NEW SHEPPARD SINGLE ‘COME BACK’

With the world in lockdown and more than half the population bunkering down with their partners, housemates and family members around the clock, COVID-19 related isolation has presented some households with a unique set of challenges. For Australian band Sheppard, it’s brought back memories from a time when loneliness and isolation was an issue, well before the virus took hold.

On the band’s previous single ‘Somebody Like You’, from their current year-long-project, Sheppard front man George Sheppard recounted failed relationships, personal changes and finding the love of his life. On ‘Come Back’, the bands 5th single from the project, Sheppard examine isolation and the effect that a lack of human contact can have on a relationship.

“One night while I was on a writing trip overseas, I received a call from my partner Kathleen” recounts George Sheppard. “She was at home alone, in tears from a horrible day at work and all I wanted to do was give her a hug. Technology has vastly improved our ability to communicate with one another, which is great, but without the ability to physically reach out and touch someone, sometimes it can actually make life harder.

The next day I went into a song writing session with the sole purpose of writing her a song that she could use as a “pick me up”. I came out of that session with ‘Come Back’ and it’s got to be one of my personal favourites.”

Written by George Sheppard in late 2019 – well before the industry was placed into lockdown mode – ‘Come Back’ is the result of a solo writing trip to the opposite of the world; three weeks isolated in a hotel room in Sweden without contact to anyone in the same time zone.

“It’s kind of ironic how closely the time I spent alone in Sweden last year mirrors the current situation” Continued George Sheppard. “There’s definitely a strong parallel between being in a band, isolated in a hotel room somewhere without contact to the people you care about, and being locked in your home, unable to spend time with family and friends.

In addition to being a love song for his long-term partner Kathleen, ‘Come Back’ also serves as a perfect reminder of the importance of human connection during times of isolation.

“It doesn’t really matter how many Skype calls, Zoom meetings or sessions of House Party you set up. There’s no substitute for physically being with the people you love. I found that out pretty quickly in Sweden and it’s very apparent now, too.

“Ultimately, Come Back is a song of support, unconditional love, and serves as a reminder to us all that although times are tough right now and clouds are darkening your skies, as long as we’re there for one another we’ll break through to the sunlight again.”

The new track’s initial form was written with Tania Doko from Bachelor Girl and Martin Carl Olof Eriksson Sandmark during George’s solo writing trip to Sweden, before eventually being completed in the band’s hometown of Brisbane during lockdown, with fellow band mates Amy Sheppard and Jay Bovino.

Released track by track, month by month, and accompanied by music videos, art and content splashed across the bands social channels, Sheppard’s forthcoming 2020 release will slowly begin to take shape over the coming months.

CITY POP RECORDS ANNOUNCE SECOND SIGNING SINGER / SONGWRITER MASON WATTS

The legendary concert promoter, Michael Chugg and industry mainstay Andrew Stone announce the second signing to City Pop Records, singer/songwriter Mason Watts.

Watts is one of Australia’s most promising new artists from Queensland. What you see is what you get with this 20 year old - passionate, talented and extremely driven - with a splash of cheeky confidence reflected in his combination of youth and experience.

Thrilled to be part of the City Pop Records label, Mason commented: “Signing a deal has always been a dream of mine and to have such a passionate and talented team like City Pop behind my music is super exciting.”

“Mason is the most exciting young singer / songwriter coming up in Australia at the moment” said Andrew Stone, Head of Chugg Music.

“We are honoured to be able to work with him at City Pop Records and Chugg Music and can’t wait for the world to hear his songs and see him perform. We were instantly hooked hearing the songs he had been working on in his bedroom and the local scene in QLD and feel it’s just a matter of time before Mason is a household name.”

Michael Chugg adds:"Mason is the kind of young artist who is tailor made for the new borderless, global music business we are in today. Uniquely talented, and with a work ethic that will carry him around the world, we are so excited to have signed him to our new venture, City Pop Records. We are totally confident that his upcoming release will have instant appeal and we can’t wait for you to hear it."

Mason's self-released debut single 'Recovery'is out now, listenhere. It was co-produced by multi-platinum Edd Holloway. Edd Holloway shares: “I first worked with Mason after hearing a demo he’d written back home in Australia and his voice immediately stuck out to me. There was some rawness in his performance that I loved, and I was excited for us to write something that would really showoff his tone. ‘Recovery’ was written and recorded very quickly and that was down to Mason's writing ability and musicianship. I love the rise and fall the arrangement has because it really emphasises the emotion in Masons vocal performance. I look forward to working with him again in the future.”

Edd Holloway is a producer, writer and mixer signed to BMG Publishing/Gravity Management and is based just outside of London. Edd's commercial successes include: the Lewis Capaldi Album ‘Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent’ (#1 UK – Nine Weeks)/ Edd has worked with a variety of other artists including James Bay, Tom Walker, Tom Grennan, Gabrielle Aplin, Wrabel, Lauren Aquilina, Rhodesand Nick Wilson.

Mason joins pop newcomer and Tik Tok star Mia Rodriguezto the record label. Mia has recently released her second single “Psycho” which is already getting media praise and was added straight away on triple j. You can listen to “Psycho”here.

Mason Watts is working on his first release for City Pop Records to be distributed by Believe.

About City Pop Records

City Pop Records is distributed by digital specialist Believeand sits within Chugg Music, the independent management, record label, label services and publishing company established in 2012 and today boasting a roster of artists including Sheppard, Lime Cordiale, Casey Barnes and Avalanche City.

Chugg and Stone are ambitious. They see the new enterprise as a pop music powerhouse, an indie taking on the majors at their own game, by connecting young, social-savvy signings with top songwriters, producers and music industry networks around the globe.

www.citypoprecords.com

LIME CORDIALE RELEASE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO 'ON OUR OWN'

+ ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF ALBUM

14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU - OUT JULY 10 VIA CHUGG

“Lime & co. have nailed the art of the impossibly catchy hooks and this is no exception… is going to be stuck in your head for days” - TRIPLE J

“Lime Cordiale are fast proving themselves to be one of the most impressive bands in the land… this time next year they’ll be exclusively playing arenas. Possibly with airhorns” - THE GUARDIAN

 Lime Cordiale, the Sydney band who have been gaining huge momentum and winning over legions of fans all across the globe and currently boast a total of over 95 million streams, officially announce the release of their hotly-anticipated second LP with brand new single On Our Own – The album titled 14 Steps To A Better You will be released via Chugg Music / London Cowboys on July 10.

With so much uncertainty in the world at this troubling time Lime Cordiale seriously considered pushing back the release of the album until they could resume playing to their rapidly growing and wildly enthusiastic worldwide audiences and bring the songs to life on stage. The band have decided to stick with the plan to release in July and hope that their music will serve as much needed brightly lit beacon of light, even on the darkest of nights.

By pure chance, On Our Own lyrically couldn’t be more reflective of our current climate. The larger than usual tune, initially written about the life of a relationship and the different stages of being On Our Own, has evolved to capture a new poignant relevance. Showcasing the world we find ourselves now in, an unknown world of social isolation.

“The first verse is about finally finding some alone time together, away from friends and distractions. Just the two of us on our own. The second verse is the breakup. The relationship has gone stale and we need some time on our own. The bridge is full of regret. Lonely, on our own and there’s no going back.”

Of the official video directed by their long-time videographer Jack Shepard we see the whole band suited up, polished up and in full live studio mode. “We’ve never had a music video like this. We wanted a studio video that was honest and closer to our live show than we’ve ever had before. We only decided to do it all in one take once director Jack had seen it on the day. There’s no bullshit when you don’t cut. This is who we are and this is how we play “On Our Own”.

The title of the new album, 14 Steps To A Better You, is a parody of self-help books and its songs represent “lessons” on how to be your best self, packed with incisive commentary about their mates, lovers and the world at large and represents how far they’ve come, both musically and personally.

Some of these messages might be sharp, but the sunny, buoyant, music makes them easy to digest. Lime Cordiale are first and foremost a good-times band and 14 Steps -- recorded over two weeks on a farm in New South Wales with “no reception and no distractions” -- maintains that standard. As with the first album, they worked with producer Dave Hammer (who produced their 2017 debut LP Permanent Vacation), and this time, with an established rapport, were able to experiment and play; “find beautiful sounds and wreck them.”

With one of the most talked about live shows in the country Lime Cordiale and their long-time touring band-members James Jennings (drums), Felix Bornholdt (keyboard) and Nick Polovineo (trombone, guitar) played more than 120 shows across the globe in the last 12 months.

Still buzzing from their Hottest 100 sweep (four songs under 40 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2019), the year ahead looks equally bright for Lime Cordiale. The band are set to perform at Splendour in The Grass in October before returning to the UK and Europe in November and December for a mammoth run of headline shows. The release of what is sure to be one of the year’s most beloved albums should see their rise go stratospheric.

The heavy touring doesn’t faze the band; it’s more energising than exhausting, according to Oli, especially when they find themselves selling out shows in European towns they’d never even heard of.

“When you play a show and strangers are singing your own song back to you, it’s like a massive drug,” Oli says. “You sort of get addicted to that.”