R&B QUEENS JAZ KARIS & MAHALIA, HAVE MZANSI IN THEIR FEELS WITH NEW SINGLE “NICE GIRLS”
(Johannesburg) April 19, 2024 — Today, South London R&B artist Jaz Karis has released her new single “Nice Girls” featuring Mahalia via MNRK Music Group.
In “Nice Girls,” Jaz and Mahalia explore the vulnerable honesty that comes in the wake of a breakup. In the chorus, Jaz declares, “nice girls they lose, I can’t get caught up falling for you.” Jaz and Mahalia’s ethereal voices mix and layer seamlessly as they float across the track.
On the track, Jaz shared, “This song is about karma. This song is about how it feels now being on the other side of the story & why good girls never win. A collaboration of two hurt lover girls – I love this song so much because everyone has felt like this at some point.”
Listen/watch official lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nme6DW0j3pw
On the collaboration, Mahalia divulged, “I have been a lover of Jaz’s music for so long that I still can’t believe we didn’t have a song together until now. When she sent me ‘Nice Girls’, I knew immediately that it would be the perfect one to duet on. It’s a moment for two women to share the pain over a lost love. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this record and am honored to have been asked.”
“Nice Girls” follows “MET YOU AT A BAR” featuring Tone Stith. The sensual tune and accompanying retro-inspired music video chronicle a relationship that gets off to a rocky start in a smoky billiards bar. “MET YOU AT A BAR” is tracking at over 394.5K streams on Spotify, over 125K streams on Apple Music, and over 375K streams on Amazon Music. Jaz and Tone also graced the cover of Spotify’s R&B Rising and Riffs & Runs playlists.
Jaz’s previous single, “Little Blue Moon” was featured as the BBC Introducing Track of the Week in December on rotation across 10 different shows. It has over 1.69 million streams across DSPs. In December, Jaz received the MOBO nomination for Best R&B/Soul Act.
About Jaz Karis:
Jaz Karis needs no introduction. A key player in the UK’s flourishing music scene, her widely-lauded COLORS performance of “Petty Lover” instantly established her as one of the most exciting emerging artists that year. As of today, the video has amassed over 16M+ views and stands as one of the channel’s most acclaimed videos. It’s been on an upward trajectory since – 100M+ global streams, touring with the likes of RAYE, Tom Misch and Stonebwoy, and deservedly two sold-out headline shows of her own. In 2020 she shocked her fans and music lovers alike, revealed as the lead vocal on award-winning producer Juls’ hit-track ‘Soweto Blues’ – a moment which saw her step out of her comfort zone and into the world of Afrobeats and Soulful House. Delivering a maturer sound both vocally and sonically, her fourth EP ‘Dear Jaz’ released in 2022, was an intentional leap forward from her earlier output. An introspective letter to the past, present and future version of herself, it was Jaz as she’d never been heard before.
It was destined that Jaz would become the musician she is today, having spent her youth in church choirs, playing the piano from as young as seven and performing for anyone who would listen. At home, she witnessed her parents’ love of R&B, Soul and Soca – the likes of SWV, Barry White, Craig David and Chaka Khan would be blaring through the speakers – further igniting her love of music and forming the basis of her later artistry. Occupying a space between R&B, Soul, Amapiano and Afropop, Jaz’s sound is refreshingly new yet intimately familiar which has earned her support from the likes of NME, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Wonderland and more. A talent that can’t be ignored, stay tuned for more from Jaz Karis throughout 2024.
About Mahalia:
The recipient of many Grammy, BRIT, Soul Train and MTV Push nominations over the years, as well as two MOBO-wins for Best Female Act, and Best R&B/Soul Act, British singer/songwriter and actress Mahalia still proves that beyond the accolades, an overarching dedication to persistence is what’s driven her to look inward, grow and ultimately challenge herself with each and every release to date. Standing as one of British R&B’s most successful contemporary faces, Mahalia continues to grow and establish herself in both her tact as an artist and in building more robust ruminations sonically. As she evolves, her success becomes even more bonafide, both on her home turf and abroad too (she’s cracked the US Adult R&B Charts three times to date). Mahalia’s 2nd album, aptly titled IRL, Mahalia was particularly incessant on doubling down on vulnerability, internal reflection, and a desire to feel, in the realms of love specifically as demonstrated on her last project. “I feel like there’s even more personality on IRL. I want people to see me how I see myself.”
With her legion of 3.3M monthly Spotify listeners, and an opener performance for Adele at Hyde Park in summer 2022 as well as a stellar prime-time Commonwealth Games closing ceremony set, there are more territories to break.
RELEASED BY I BE MUSIC ON BEHALF OF MNRK URBAN
Media Queries:
Mellissa: mellissa@ibemusic.org
Ian: ian@ibemusic.org