Welcome to Soul Sessions, where I put together the best songs I’ve found on Soundcloud for the week of June 5-11, 2016, no matter the genre. Introduce yourself to some artists who will soon become your favorites, and comment below with your favorite new music as well.

JoJo Martin – “Run On”

JoJo Martin is a well-known singer in the gospel world who went viral this week when he was called upon to sing at a Kirk Franklin concert. JoJo has been battling renal failure, going to dialysis, and has been on the transplant list for a new kidney for the past three years. His solo at Franklin’s concert was a heartfelt plea to a higher power, and this song is a continuation of his resilience in the darkest of circumstances. It’s more inspirational than directly religious, making it accessible to all listeners. The lyrics are strong, and you can hear the determination in his voice.

Gwen Bunn – “Unofficial”

This is for everyone in a ‘situationship.’ Gwen has such an original and conversational way of talking about relationships. With Gwen also on production, this is a sonically solid song, however, it will have the listener yearning for the kick drum to drop. The drums tease that way throughout the entire track, making it feel almost like an interlude to something else.

Sia Amun – “Flowers”

If you want to get into a serious groove with some live instrumentation, then “Flowers” is for you. It’s the first single off Sia Amun’s upcoming debut album Blue Dream, which is dropping later this summer. I was happy I ran across this gem, because she’s got great tone and makes good harmonic choices. I’m looking forward to more music from her.

1-O.A.K. – “Fall Down”

Everyone has met that partner who has been hurt, and as a consequence, has their walls up. If that person wanted to write a song to sing to their love, this would be that song. I’m not big on singers using samples in their production, but 1-O.A.K. makes it work with updated drums here. This one’s definitely gonna be on repeat.

Lee Mo – “Don’t Have A Reason”

Her tone is spectacular, and the production is reminiscent of older soul music. Feeling intuitively that her love might be looking at someone else and might hurt her, Lee laments her sorrow. Admitting that she has no reason for these suspicions other than her gut, she speaks to a woman’s intuition spectacularly here.

Tiyi Christopher – “Curious”

This is one of those tracks that grew on me the longer I listened to it. The production is solid from the jump, but I didn’t know if this was going to be one of those template “freak me” songs. Tiyi makes the song interesting, building throughout and referencing classic boudoir songs from the ’90s.

Kiah Victoria – “Cold War”

Everyone faces different struggles. This song vividly describes the feeling that comes with thinking you’re fighting a losing battle. Whether you’re repeating bad habits or fighting your way back from a deep loss, this song will resonate with the feeling that sometimes even your own body is not on your side.

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