In partnership with DHL FAST-TRACK
Does it get any better than Abbey Road Studios? With its cutting-edge technology and unrivalled heritage, this north London creative hub is the crème de la crème of recording studios. That’s why all-time greats such as Amy Winehouse, Frank Ocean and Radiohead all chose to record there. Oh, and a band called The Beatles named an album after the place, but you might not have heard of them.
Anyway, it’s also why DHL chose the iconic venue as the location for DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions, which is now in its third year. The new music initiative saw three emerging artists – amapiano crooner Kenya Murakz, pop folkie Erica Knox and country pop singer Cate Canning – win the chance to spend a whole week in its hallowed halls. Here’s what went down at the most famous recording studio in the world.
Grammy nominated house dons Meduza offered priceless mentorship
They’re the most-streamed act ever in Italy and received a Grammy nod for Best Dance Recording in 2020, thanks to their pop-house banger ‘Piece Of Your Heart’ (which has racked up nearly a billion streams on Spotify). So they know a thing or two about building a fanbase, you know?
They brought this expertise to DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions, as they offered each talented artist one-on-one mentorship at the start of the week. “It was honestly so cool and interesting to chat with the artists,” band member Luca de Gregorio told NME afterwards. “They are really amazing emerging artists and we shared a lot of stuff about their experience. I’m honestly so excited to see the result of the week. They’re writing new stuff and I see they’re sharing real cool ideas. I hope [we gave them] good advice about their journey into music!”
Gold-selling producer Hannah V brought the Midas touch
Producer, composer, pianist: Hannah V does it all. She’s worked with the likes of Stormzy and performed in stadiums and arenas with Eminem and Rihanna. Put it this way: you want this woman in your corner. The multi-talented musician was on hand at Abbey Road to guide the musicians and help bring their unique creative visions to life. “We’ve got three amazing new artists coming through and I cannot wait to get creating with them,” she told NME.
The musicians themselves were in awe of Hannah’s talents; Cate said she found it refreshing to work with a female producer in such a male-dominated field. And while these artists are all preternaturally talented in their own rights, the results of the week spoke for themselves. You rarely achieve musical greatness without a sympathetic and intuitive producer, and Hannah is both of these and much more.
Kenya Murakz silenced the room
After a week of recording new tracks, the DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions artists put on very special performances in the cosy environs of Abbey Road’s Studio 3. The smallest room in the studio, it’s hosted everyone from Liam Gallagher to Little Simz and Pink Floyd. Only at Abbey Road could one little room hold so much history.
Not that Manchester amapiano and afrobeats singer-songwriter Kenya Murakz seemed fazed by this legacy as he treated us to his sunny new song ‘Risk On Me’. He was accompanied by a single guitarist for the romantic track, and yet the result was truly expansive.
“This week has shown me what it takes to be a recording artist,” he told NME after the performance. “I’m gonna take that with me, hopefully, to my future career. It’s been an absolutely amazing experience and one that I won’t forget.”
Erica Knox played a mega-smash-in-waiting
The Canadian musician, who came all the way from Toronto just to take part in the sessions, told NME of her sound: “I’m currently releasing pop music and trying to fusion it with some folk – we’ll see how that turns out! But those are my two realms that I live in, and throwing synth-pop in there is always a good idea…”
For her performance in Studio 3, Erica focused on the pop and folk side of her oeuvre, playing a spine-tingling, as-yet-unreleased acoustic track called ‘Kerosene’. Stripped-back yet packed with emotion, with an ingenious intro that sets up the song’s catchy chorus, it’s surely a TikTok smash-in-waiting.
“I’ve played a lot of shows,” Erica told NME, “but I’m always looking to expand internationally. I’ve never played a show in the UK or Europe, so that’s definitely where I’m looking to go towards next.” Ultimately, she just wants to make sure her music is heard: “I’m open for everything!”
Cate Canning impressed us very much
Canada had DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions in a chokehold this year. Cate’s from Vancouver, but has lived in London “for ages”, she says. At the start of the week, she beamed: “I am stoked to be here… I can’t wait to work with Hannah; I can’t wait to meet Meduza. It’s gonna be fun!” Asked what she’d like to garner from this experience, she replied: “I’m writing my debut album right now – so I think it’d be fun for me to get experience in this sort of studio – and [I’d like to] meet new fans.”
By the end of the week, she’d certainly won over everyone involved in the sessions with an acoustic version of her song ‘Rocket Science’, which thrilled her existing fanbase when she later shared it online. No wonder Cate bagged a support slot with fellow country pop star Shania Twain at BST Hyde Park this year. Yeehaw!
What’s next for these talented winners?
In one week at Abbey Road Studios, the musicians exchanged ideas, shared stunning performances and recorded tracks in an environment that most artists would kill for. It’s up to them what they do with the incredible songs, so let’s hope they reach streaming services soon. In the meantime, make sure you get onboard with this year’s DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions winners. That way, you can tell your mates you were there before they blew up.
