Pepper - New Waves

Now that the music blogging world has got back to normal and all of the end of year lists are out of the way and tips for 2012 are done, we want to throw one last ‘tip’ into the pool.

She’s an artist that we mentioned in passing back on our introductory Ones to Watch for 2012 post back in November, but as we explained then, she wouldn’t be featuring in our Ones To Watch list because she had appeared in an X-Factor style TV show Sky 1's Must Be The Music in 2010. If you saw her on the show you will remember her in the duo called Pepper & Piano.

Since then a lot has happened. Katie Pepper (or Pepper as she is known) is now a solo artist and has formed a songwriting partnership with Nicholas "Cage" Detnon, Dizee Rascal’s manager and mentor, knocking out 14 songs in the first 10 days of working together. Dizzee Rascal is on board too and last year Pepper performed on stage at festivals with Dizzee.

The first studio version of any of Pepper’s songs we got to listen to was called Wish It Away. It was a bit of a revelation. Our immediate thought was “This simply cannot be a TV Talent show winner. It’s too damn good.” With its frantic popped too many pills beats, orchestrated disco-blisters synth lines and catchy as hell verse and chorus sung with real gusto Wish It Away is one of the best contemporary pop songs that you’ve probably not yet heard. The lyrics tell her story so far. But then we remembered Nicola Roberts. She made one of our favourite albums of the year. You see it is possible for a TV Talent show contestant to go on to make pop music that is both credible and vitally exciting.

This is why we’re featuring Pepper on Breaking More Waves. She’s our ‘secret’ one to watch. We’re hoping she won’t be a secret too much longer. It starts here, with this, a live acoustic version of Wish It Away. Watch this space for more. 

Pepper - Wish It Away (Acoustic Session)