Music is a tool for changing our emotional state. It can move us from a place of anger to a place of excitement. It can shift us from a place of sadness into a state of feeling connected and hopeful. Music is something that we can use as compassionate people to activate large groups of people and create cultural trends that impact major changes. On a personal and global scale, it is one of the most transformative channels of evolution and healing for the planet. The quality of lyrics is something that can awaken people to new levels of consciousness and for those who have a platform, it's a big responsibility. Imagine the pressure of being in the spotlight but not just singing about the drama that sells so easily with the mainstream. These revolutionary minds are changing what music is today and their following is growing steadily. If you need an energetic shift, these musicians are working day and night to be there for you. Let's share this type of transformative music and support new age artists! Check out our top picks which vary from epic stage performers to orchestral mantras and of course hip hop...
1. Deya Dova - Listening to Deya Dova, who has multiple albums out and has been on tour for quite some time, is like being in another dimension. Her words are poetic and speak directly to your soul. Her music is not only uplifting but she has broken out of singing about mundane troubles to talk about spiritual activation and she is using her words like a true magician. Her latest album is Myth of The Cave and is one of 9 albums available on her site and you can catch her this year on her Myth of The Cave North American Tour. This Australian musician is known to record live at sacred sites and is a pioneer of music with tribalism, mysticism and deep bass.
2. Nahko & Medicine For The People This group led by Nahko Bear, who is Apache, Puerto Rican and Filipino, is also tribal and the lyrics are a call to action. The most recent album Hoka is a word from the Lakota people which is meant to inspire people to not just talk about doing good things but to do them. You can catch this activist group on tour this year all across America and locally in Costa Mesa August 11/12. The clarity of the words in this music is revolutionary and speaks of ancestors, meditation and connection to our soul. If you need inspiration, put this music on! They're touring with Rebelution, raising money for scholarships, supporting human rights groups and working with marginalized children. This is definitely a band worth supporting and a simultaneously lively and chill concert to attend.
3. White Sun This band uses ancient mantras fused with orchestra and creates a peaceful state of being. The mantras are sung by Guru Jas and the group just accepted their first Grammy in the New Age category after being nominated the previous year as well. People have been calling them the new Enya and their music is great to sleep to. Their music videos are a continuation of the spiritual awakening the songs illicit. Each mantra (in Gurmukhi) has a rich yogic history and a specific purpose that you can actually look up so you know how the music is helping you. They have two albums available on Itunes and some singles as well! You can catch Guru Jas or producer Harijiwan's classes locally in Venice.
4. Archer & Tripp This duo from the UK (Archer) and Germany (Tripp) has been touring internationally and their music involves many instruments you probably haven't heard of. Their recent album Trance Send will help you do just that, transcend by by sending you into a trance. They are incredible to see live and the connection between the two of them is truly beautiful. They are touring Germany in July so keep checking their tour dates to see when they will be in your area. This acoustic duo is heart warming and great to play while cooking or relaxing at home.
5. Sol Rising Brandon is the international DJ and mastermind behind this electronic hip hop fusion of spiritual music. He usually plays live with yoga teachers and other spiritual DJ's and has multiple albums out. His most recent is To The Sun. He also just released a single on June 27th called Open Your Heart. He has played at Lightning in a Bottle and is one of America's top scratch DJ's who's just as obsessed with hip hop as he is with meditation which he started at age 4. His calling is to light up people's awareness to their true nature through music.