Pop fans, it’s time to celebrate. After a 23-year hiatus as a duo, Nicole and Natalie Appleton are officially back. Their brand-new single, ‘Falling Into You’, drops today, and it’s every bit the sophisticated pop we’ve been craving.

The track feels like a spiritual successor to their 2003 hit ‘Don’t Worry’ — fluid, timeless, and effortlessly cool. To keep the magic authentic, the sisters reunited with Gareth Young (the producer behind their smash ‘Fantasy’) and his songwriting partner Bnann.

“This song just flowed out of us because it’s very much the story of us,” says Nicole.

The Journey Back

While we last saw the sisters touring with All Saints nearly five years ago, the spark for this duo revival came from a surprising source: their kids. Natalie reveals that it was Gene and Ace who suggested the sisters team up again.

The momentum started building in 2023 with the successful reissue of their gold-certified debut album, Everything’s Eventual. Now, with no expectations other than “the love of it,” the Appletons are ready to reclaim their spot in the charts.

Where to See Them

If the single isn’t enough, mark your calendars for these upcoming performances:

• Feb 19: BBC Radio 2’s Piano Rooms with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
• May: A high-energy set at the iconic Mighty Hoopla festival.

Expect the hits, the new single, and according to Nicole, a “fun cover or two.”

Stream ‘Falling Into You’ now:
appleton.komi.io

Alt-R&B powerhouse ELIZA is back with a vintage funk-infused reminder to protect your peace as she gears up for the release of her third studio album, The Darkening Green.

ELIZA isn’t just making music; she’s crafting an ecosystem. The North London native has just dropped her latest track, ‘Cheddar’, a soulful, spiky confrontation that serves as the perfect appetizer for her highly anticipated new record, The Darkening Green, arriving on 4 March.

Following the success of ‘Anyone Else’, ‘Cheddar’ finds ELIZA navigating the murky waters of an exploitative relationship. Built on a foundation of urgent bass lines and a classic vintage funk drum beat, the track allows ELIZA’s signature soulful vocals to shine through a lens of “bruised realization.”

With lyrics like, “Cheddar, is that all I am to you… my love was a treasure, always on the house,” she exposes the “true agenda” of those who take more than they give. However, in true ELIZA fashion, the song refuses to sink into negativity. It closes with a resolute, shimmering vow: “You won’t make me bitter, it’s not worth my shimmer.” It’s a powerful anthem for anyone looking to rewild their spirit and protect their energy in a hardening culture.

A Masterclass in Independent R&B

The track boasts an impressive production team, with ELIZA working alongside Finlay ‘Phairo’ Robson and EMIL (the magic behind hits for Loyle Carner, Sampha, and Doja Cat). It’s a testament to the lane she has carved for herself since moving away from the “Eliza Doolittle” persona eight years ago. By ditching the major label system, she has evolved into a “sorcerer of soulful pop” (Notion) and a vital independent voice in the UK scene.

Inside The Darkening Green

Due out this March, The Darkening Green is being touted as ELIZA’s most human work to date. The album explores the idea that our emotional lives mirror the ecological world. From the messiness of love to the heat of connection, the record follows a journey of returning to nature and oneself, away from the noise, ego, and daily grind.

With over 720,000 monthly listeners and a COLORS performance that has racked up over 33 million views, ELIZA is no longer just one to watch — she is a tastemaker leading the charge in the neo-soul and lo-fi space.

Pre-save The Darkening Green HERE.

Yungblud has teamed up with rock legends The Smashing Pumpkins for a powerful, re-imagined version of his breakout track “Zombie”, marking the first time the band have ever featured on another artist’s recording.

Originally released to huge acclaim, “Zombie” is Yungblud’s fastest-streaming solo single to date, with over 100 million streams, and this new version takes things even further. Produced by Matt Schwartz and Billy Corgan, the track brings heavier guitars, more urgency and that unmistakable Smashing Pumpkins edge.

The collaboration came full circle after Yungblud and Billy Corgan finally met in Birmingham last year at Black Sabbath’s farewell show. Corgan had been aware of Yungblud for years, praising his raw talent and predicting a long future ahead, making this collaboration feel long overdue.

An official music video, directed by Charlie Sarsfield and starring Yungblud and The Smashing Pumpkins, lands alongside the release, kicking off a huge year for Yungblud. The track arrives ahead of his sold-out UK arena tour, which launches on 11 April, and follows a landmark year that saw him dominate charts, tour the world and earn multiple Grammy nominations.

Speaking on the track, Yungblud called the collaboration “hard to comprehend”, citing Siamese Dream as a life-changing album and describing “Zombie” as the most personal song on Idols. Billy Corgan added that it was “great fun” lending The Smashing Pumpkins’ voice to a track inspired by their legacy.

With no signs of slowing down, Yungblud continues to bridge generations of rock, and this re-imagined “Zombie” might just be one of his boldest moments yet.

“Zombie” by Yungblud and The Smashing Pumpkins is out now.

The Molotovs and the Big Issue put on a spectacular show for hundreds of shoppers in London today in support of the charity’s ‘Stop, Talk and Support’ Christmas campaign.

The band, siblings Matt and Issey Cartlidge, 17 and 19, played songs from forthcoming debut album Wasted On Youth as they encouraged passersby in Soho to meet Big Issue vendors Paul and Terry, who can often be found near Oxford Circus and St Paul’s Cathedral.

The set included a singalong of Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ and and the setting was Berwick Street, a UK rock landmark famous for its depiction on the record sleeve for Oasis’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?.

The band have been championed by the likes of Sex Pistols and Green Day, and dancing and pogoing broke out as crowds of onlookers celebrated the music on the final weekend before Christmas.

The Big Issue addresses poverty by enabling homeless and vulnerable people to earn money selling its weekly magazine. Its Christmas campaign highlights the decline in casual social interaction, with fewer people stopping for a chat with vendors. The campaign was launched with the single-shot video ‘Issues We Face’ in which vendors in nearby Oxford Street shared their personal and relatable stories.

Matt said: “One of the tragedies of the struggles facing society today is that so many people get left behind. The Big Issue does an amazing job at helping people but it’s down to the rest of us to make sure vendors, just like everyone else, are true parts of the community. It takes so little time to stop and have a chat with someone but too often we all just walk past with our eyes fixed on our phone or the street ahead. We all need, more often, to ‘stop, talk and support’.”

Vendor Paul said: “It makes all the difference in the world when people stop and chat. Some people do and some people don’t. It reminds people you’re human when you can have a conversation, rather than making you feel invisible.”

Issey said: “There is so much division being created in society today but we can choose to respond humanely, treating people as people, with understanding and empathy. Our lives can be fragile and all our circumstances can change in an instant. Everyone selling the Big Issue has a story to tell and deserves our support.”

Russell Blackman, Managing Director of Big Issue, said: “We’re super grateful to The Molotovs for drumming up support for our vendors on their most important weekend of the year for sales. There’s nothing like a guerilla gig to get people to stop, start a conversation and take time out of their busy shopping schedules to engage with the vendors in the vicinity. Please support your local Big Issue vendor this winter as they brave the elements to sell and earn a hugely important income.”