We Speak Music

Sonny Tennet ‘Howay’

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2024

Don Reed

Newcastle born Sonny Tennet’s stand out vocal and unique songwriting ability have gained him over 60M streams and secured him a Spotify NMF placement, as well as airplay on BBC Radio One’s Future Pop for his last release. Now the 24y/o is back to turn the heat up further with ‘Howay’, the second single to be lifted from his forthcoming debut album.

“The anthemic chant of Howay came to me completely out of thin air on my way to a songwriting session”, says Sonny. “When I got to the studio, I asked the producer if I could sing the chant and bass line from my head. As I sang, the word ‘Howay’ came out and it just fit the melody. Howay in Geordie means ‘Come On’. I’d just come off of tour and wanted a real entrance to my set on the next run. The song lyrically became about my love of the North, my family, my home, my team. I love how it turned out and can’t wait for it to be out there”, he further explains.

It’s a very exciting time for Sonny who’s TikTok following has recently found him admirers amongst TV soap glitterati with Eastenders star Toby Alexander-Smith secretly arranging for the young singer-songwriter to fly out and perform his track ‘Calm Down’ as he walked down the aisle with Emmerdale actress Amy Walsh in Montenegro at their star studded wedding ceremony last year.

‘Howay’, with its epic chants, rocking bass line and infectious message is set to take things even further, as this ‘soon to be football anthem’ is on Sky Sports radar to be used on televised Newcastle Utd games this year, as Sonny gets ready to embark on a new UK tour in May.

‘Howay’ is out now via The Qworkz and tickets for Sonny Tennet’s May 2024 UK tour are on sale now here- https://linktr.ee/sonnytennettour

We Speak Music

Waz-u drops ambient gem ‘Vermillion’ ft. Lilyg

Published

5 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Don Reed

London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Waz-u returns with his second album, Preludes: Dusk Psalms, set for release on 16 May 2025 via independent label Biodiversity. The 15-track record further refines the artistic depth of his debut, blending electronic textures and classical compositional techniques in an intricate, immersive listening experience.

Ahead of the album release, Waz-u is dropping an exclusive vocal version of ‘Vermillion: G Major’ from the album, accompanied by its original instrumental version. ‘Vermillion’ with Lilyg will be released on 18 April 2025, evoking intimate indie-folk and pop and follows the release of a vocal version of ‘Lament’ with Tom Norrington. ‘The singles are a way to give a voice to the atmosphere of the record and to lyrically encapsulate some of the themes explored,’ explains Waz-u. ‘Lily and Tom are good friends of mine and have both been listening to early iterations of these preludes – it felt right to involve them directly on this record.’

‘Preludes: Dusk Psalms’ marks a new branch of Waz-u’s emerging sound, guided by the duality of tradition and innovation. Combining his musical roots in early ‘90s dub techno and classical music, the album weaves carefully layered synthesizers and electronics to evoke the ambience of sacred music — from the gentle timbres of a choir or an organ to the quiet, open, and reverberating spaces of a church. Also featured throughout the album is experimental musician G9 LUV, who creates textures and drones by bowing his bass guitar, resulting in cello-like sounds. The release follows Waz-u’s 2024 debut LP, Prayer For Dawn, which merged dub, techno, and electronica in an exploration of the ritualistic traditions associated with both organized religion and dance.

Bringing the album’s themes to life, Waz-u will celebrate the release of Preludes: Dusk Psalms with a special performance at Our Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London on 14 May 2025. Set against the church’s resonant acoustics, the event will feature live performance arrangements, including a choir, with further details to be announced soon.