We Speak Music

More Than Nostalgia: The Overtones Enter Their Next Chapter

Published

1 month ago

September 10, 2026

Nostalgia is a powerful force in popular music, but for The Overtones it has never been the whole story. Their affection for classic vocal harmony, vintage glamour and timeless songwriting is balanced by an appetite for reinvention that has kept the group moving forward for 15 years. Their latest announcement, Jivin’ Home For Christmas, brings that philosophy into the festive season with 22 performances across the UK.

The quartet of Jay James, Mike Crawshaw, Mark Franks and Darren Everest have accumulated an impressive catalogue of achievements during their career. Six Top 10 albums, multi-platinum sales, 15 sold-out UK tours and major television appearances have established a formidable commercial record. More importantly, their live reputation has given them a longevity that extends beyond the recording studio, with audiences returning for the distinctive blend of music, movement and theatrical presentation.

That evolution can be seen particularly clearly in the individual lives of the four performers. Mark Franks continues to work as a dance music producer and remixer, while Mike Crawshaw has developed interests in acting and theatre production. Jay James combines his work with The Overtones with music management and creative direction, while Darren Everest remains involved in artist management and his own fashion enterprise. Their careers outside the group enrich rather than compete with the identity they have built together.

The future is equally important. The Overtones are currently creating original music with Grammy and Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy. The collaboration suggests an ambition to build on the group’s established sound rather than simply revisit it. Their recent headline appearance in Jukebox Idols, a 29-date production combining music and dance, also demonstrated their ability to embrace new creative environments while retaining the qualities that audiences know and love.

That balance of heritage and ambition makes Jivin’ Home For Christmas particularly timely. The tour opens at Whitley Bay’s Playhouse on November 7 and reaches Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre on December 17, with stops across England and Scotland along the way. For longtime followers it will offer the familiarity of The Overtones at their festive best, while the promise of new songs points towards a group that is not looking backwards, but preparing for its next era.

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We Speak Music

Naomi Aguilera casts her spell with her new single BB ILY

Published

1 day ago

October 16, 2026

Morgan

Two years ago, Naomi Aguilera walked onto my radar with EGO, an infectious soulful pop debut that made it impossible not to move. Fast forward to her debut EP Mosaïques, and it was clear she wasn’t just passing through. Personal, colorful, rooted in her Spanish heritage & Brussels upbringing, it even earned her a spot as Apple Music Benelux’s Up Next artist!

Now she’s back with BB ILY, marking the start of a new era. The bilingual single — French and English — is built around one of the most universal human experiences: that special connection that doesn’t need translation. Where EGO invited you to forget your ex on the dancefloor, BB ILY pulls you somewhere more intimate: with sultry beats courtesy of Turana, it’s a dance where gestures, whispers, sighs and the sound of a voice matters more than the words that come out of it… It’s sensual, a little mystical, and entirely her own.

First taste of Naomi Aguilera’s upcoming project Ojalá, due in 2027, it feels effortlessly catchy. This is the kind of track that casts its spell quietly, with interesting and unexpected rhythmic shifts in the verses, and a delicious chorus that lodges itself in your head before you even notice. By the time you do, it’s too late. But you won’t find me complaining about it!