Fragile
voices,
big
orchestra
Ray Lozano
Ray Lozano is a singer, bassist, saxophonist and pianist. Her innovative and forward-looking soul sound is located somewhere between indie, low-fidelity pop and hip-hop. Released during the pandemic the highly acclaimed debut album “Pairing Mode” by the Cologne-based artist with German-Filipino roots features not a single song that exceeds 100 seconds – and so leaves listeners hungry for more. “13 songs. 14 minutes. Detailed, loving, confusingly short. Radically reduced, soulful and experimental pop”, said WDR 3. Der SPIEGEL was also enthusiastic about her “songs produced with zeitgeisty electronic style elements and a lot of atmospheric glitch aesthetics”. For Ray, the central motif of the album is “Aloneness”: “For me, that doesn’t necessarily mean loneliness, but a form of celebrated aloneness with oneself.” The centrepiece of her songs full of delicate and dreamy melancholy is Ray’s memorable, vulnerable and warm voice. The singer-songwriter was awarded the Holger Czukay Prize in 2023, which honours artists who leave their mark far beyond the borders of Cologne and influence and shape current developments.
Ray Lozano: vocals
Sir Pryce: vocals, keyboard, operator
nica-artistdevelopment.com/artists/ray-lozano
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Salomea
The German-American singer, composer, lyricist and instrumentalist Rebekka Salomea and her high-calibre band inspire with their unique, modern jazz-electronica sound and rousing live shows. Their songs are a dazzling mix of triphop, jazz, R’n’B and electronic music, with Salomea’s laid-back yet expressive voice at the centre of it all. Musikexpress aptly wrote: “For them, jazz is not a genre, but the lowest common denominator.” The Cologne-based quartet has already played at some of the most renowned festivals, including Elbjazz, Avignon Jazz Festival, CO POP, Moers Festival, Fusion and Waves Vienna. Salomea was nominated for the 2021 German Jazz Award and is considered one of the most important young female jazz musicians in Germany. She has been a lecturer in jazz and pop vocals at the Cologne University of Music and Dance since 2020. The extremely productive formation has released several singles and EPs in recent years, and a tour with a new album is scheduled for autumn 2024.
Rebekka Salomea: vocals
Yannis Anft: keys
Oliver Lutz: bass
Leif Berger: drums
Funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
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What the press says about Ray Lozano:
“Ray Lozano stages herself not only as a soulful R&B singer, but also as a good storyteller. The debut of this soul discovery comes across as an excitingly succinct promise of more.” (Der SPIEGEL)
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What the press says about Salomea:
“The unique blend of soul, R’n’B, electro, triphop and jazz fascinates from the first to the last note, never seeming strained or even overloaded at any point. The tracks flow warmly and dazzlingly, but before things can become too harmonious, disruptive elements creep in: slithering glitches or harsh electroclash illustrate Salomea’s creative freedom and daring.” (Musikmag)
