Hear the first collab from “Studio Sessions: The Bridge” Ep. 1, Atlanta
After bringing SoundCloud to life through our SoundCloud Creator Forum at A3C, we stuck around in Atlanta to connect with a few more of the city’s rising stars – namely four winners of Studio Sessions: The Bridge, our new contest series that brings creators together to make something great.
ICYMI, last month, we called on artists and producers from the culture-driving epicenters of Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto and Miami to submit their original tracks for the chance to get professional studio time and collaborate on a track. Based on the response, it was clear that there was no shortage of talent already putting in the work and grinding every day to get heard.
“With 25 million creators collaborating on SoundCloud every day, programs like The Bridge bring those connections to life and give deserving talent a platform to be discovered,” said Erika Montes, Head of Artist Relations at SoundCloud. She added, “We chose artists who could represent and blend a diverse range of styles while bringing their individuality to the forefront. They harnessed the power of community, but stayed true to themselves as artists – and you can really hear that in the final product.”
The day of the collab, winners RAX REBL and suni mf (both rappers), producer Yung Icey and singer/songwriter Neila, met up at Atlanta’s iconic LVRN Studio to make some magic. Their team spirit and singular drives created a foundation of respect and they clicked right off the bat. Over the course of eight hours, while sage burned, and the “you are safe here” sign glowed above them, they riffed off of each other, absorbed the collective energy, and laid down the melodic-soul banger of a track, “Like That.” Watch how it came together via the video below.
Meet the artists
RAX REBL (first verse)
Rax is a London-born rapper/songwriter who started writing poems that turned into raps that he shared on his socials. He received positive feedback and wanted to pursue music but didn’t have the best resources to be heard. So he went to Edgewood Ave, the most popular music strip in Atlanta, and performed for 30 weeks straight to anyone who would listen. His tenacity paid off, and he’s since landed on SXSW’s “ATL to ATX” stage, toured with one of Future’s acts, Zoey Dollaz, and released two EPs.
suni mf (second verse)
suni mf moved to Atlanta in ‘94, quit her 9-5 to take a risk, and is now making a name for herself on the independent hip-hop scene – writing songs for the likes of KeKe Palmer and 615 Exclusive, and setting herself apart with her clever bars. She’s been recognized by REVOLT, performed at SXSW, A3C and Atlanta Hip Hop Day, and is gearing up to release her 8th (!) studio project this fall.
Yung Icey (producer)
Icey is a self-taught talent from South Carolina who’s been producing for six years, carving out lanes in the music industry while earning a degree from University of South Carolina. He doesn’t minimize his music to one sound and enjoys experimenting with genres outside his comfort zone and making beats based on how he’s feeling. If he’s mad, he makes a “hard*** beat,” if he’s sad, maybe it’s R&B.
Neila (hook and bridge)
Neila is “alien” spelled backwards, and this singer/songwriter is bringing some otherworldly music to planet earth. Born and raised in Parkland, Florida, Neila now calls Atlanta home – where she’s comfortably carved out a niche via her R&B, hip-hop and pop concoctions ft. her real life storylines of passion, pain and love. Her eclectic music reflects her influences: from The Beatles to Aaliyah to Jimi Hendrix and Frank Ocean.
We still have three cities left to spotlight at part of The Bridge, and with what’s next in music being created in mere hours before our very eyes – we’re not stopping there. If you’re interested in collaborating shout it loud by putting it in your profile and keep uploading your original music and tagging it #studiosessions so we see you, and can ensure others do too.