GEM Magazine

06/10/2025

Welsh born, now London living artist Greta Isaac has been known in the music scene as a glittering chameleon ever since stepping foot into it – from moving to the capital with fellow collaborator Orla Gartland, creating the technicolour supergroup FIZZ together with the latter and mutual friends dodie and Martin Luke Brown, to releasing the radically personal EP ‘Productive Pain’ and the Y2K-soaked ‘Dolly Zoom’ project, which welcomes Isaac’s listeners into the campy world of her hyperpop alter-ego. 🌟

We sat down with the 30-year-old musical powerhouse to talk about the release of the two polarising EPs in the span of less than two months, taking inspiration from the people around you and vintage horror movies, and saying goodbye to an older version of yourself and your hometown to pursue your biggest dreams, even though it scares you. 💘

Follow the link below to read the full interview. 👀

📸: Karina Barberis

Welsh born, now London living artist Greta Isaac has been known in the music scene as a glittering chameleon ever since stepping foot into it – from moving to the capital with fellow collabor…

26/09/2025

After almost a decade of zeroing in on their sound and sharpening their skills, the New Zealand-born duo of brothers Pierre and Henry Beasley of Balu Brigada have made it onto the TikTok sound recommendations and hype playlists of music enthusiasts across the globe thanks to viral hit ‘So Cold’ and a support slot on twenty one pilots’ latest world tour. 🌟

Now based in New York City, the alt-pop newcomers recently celebrated the release of their groovy debut album ‘Portal’ at the end of August, and are preparing for their upcoming North American headline voyage, right on the way to snag the official title of the industry’s next big indie-pop superstars. 🖤

Follow the link below to read the full interview.

📸: André Figueirêdo

After almost a decade of zeroing in on their sound and sharpening their skills, the New Zealand-born duo of brothers Pierre and Henry Beasley have made it onto the TikTok sound recommendations and …

19/09/2025

Welcome to the twelfth issue of GEM. The music mag a cut above the rest. 💎

In this edition, we sit down with our cover stars, Balu Brigada, for a deep dive into the creation of the duo’s enthralling debut album ‘Portal’ and take a trip down memory lane of the New Zealanders’ world tour together with alt-rock icons twenty one pilots. Joining them are the Australian indie-pop heroes The Jungle Giants, who let us in on one secret or two about their upcoming full-length record. And lastly, doctor-turned-music-riser Gordi talks us through her years of alternating between concert stages and medical school and ending up at her third LP, ‘Like Plasticine’. 🎶

Our Hidden GEMs section is being taken over by singer-songwriter Melina Blanco and the London-based emerging artist Etta Marcus. Additionally, we shine the most glimmering of lights on the beauty of being part of a fandom – the Twenty One Pilots Clique to be exact –, and for our arts feature, we meet with tattoo goddess, master artist and singer Zayä Kai, who takes us through the realisation of her dream studio in the picturesque lanes of Brighton and the importance of finding creativity in every part of her life. 🌊

Plus, don’t miss out on an array of stellar reviews, and to finish off this issue, we explore the world of Greta Isaac and her electric alter-ego Dolly Zoom, and in an essential opinion piece, we uncover the necessity of political elements in music, free speech on the stages of this world and how “Free Palestine” has become about so much more than just standing up for what is right. 🍉

From thought-provoking breakout hits to rip-roaring rock bangers, from heart-melting films to newcomer underdogs, this edition is filled with everything you need to get you ready for the concert season and beyond. Welcome to GEM Magazine’s twelfth edition – we’ll see you in the pit.

Click the link below to read our free digital version or to support us by getting your hands on your own print copy. 🤩



https://read-gem.com/issue-12/

08/08/2025

With each work, Australian folktronica singer-songwriter, Gordi – aka Dr Sophie Payten – masterfully crafts a distinct identity, both in sound and emotion. Like the metaphor she’s chosen for her third album, 'Like Plasticine', her music has been moulded around all the lifetimes she’s lived. 💫

From the farm where she began playing piano as a child, to the stages and classrooms she alternated between during medical school, to the hospitals where she worked as a doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic, music refused to release its hold on Gordi. Now a full-time touring musician and one of Australia’s award-winning rising stars, Gordi invites us to look inward with her new third record. 🌼

Check out the link below to read the full conversation.

📸: James Robinson

With each work, Australian folktronica singer-songwriter, Gordi – aka Dr Sophie Payten – masterfully crafts a distinct identity, both in sound and emotion. In the backdrop of her gentle vocals, she…

06/08/2025

Meet newcomer and singer-songwriter Katie Phelan . The Irish native left behind her beloved seaside town to move to England’s busy capital and dive headfirst into her music career - something she used as inspiration for her brand new dreamy EP ‘Blues and Greens’. We talked to the young artist to find out more about her songwriting and creative process, her musical childhood memories, and bonded over expressing gratitude for home so far away from it. 🌹

Follow the link below to read the full interview. 🌤️

📸: Olivia Sofia Ferrara

Leaving home to realise your dreams is a bittersweet change of lifestyle and routine that doesn’t come easy and needs a lot of adjusting – an experience the upcoming singer-songwriter Katie P…

25/07/2025

“British band Bastille are set to play a show for just over 300 of their most dedicated fans at London’s The 100 Club. With this being the group’s first headline show in eighteen months, and one of their smallest sets in over a decade, the excitement is palpable. And not just from the air getting thicker and hotter the closer one got to the stage downstairs.“ 🪩

Follow the link below to read Benns Borgese's full recap of the unforgetable concert. ✨

📸: Willow Shields

“Of course it has to start raining now,”, I hear a defeated observation grunted next to me as Willow, photographer in chief for the night and let’s not forget, friend, points at the queue of people…

21/07/2025

It was a warm summer evening when Noah Cyrus touched down at London’s stunning Islington Assembly Hall in celebration of her latest record, ‘I WANT MY LOVED ONES TO GO WITH ME’, which had been released the week prior. 🖤

Enveloped in countless bouquets of flowers, reminiscent of plant nurseries on Valentine’s Day, Cyrus walked on stage together with her four-piece band, donning an olive-green dress and welcoming the excited crowd with a winning smile. 💐

Check out our full review of the exquisite album launch show via the link below.

📸: Hannah Khymych

It was a warm summer evening when Noah Cyrus touched down at London’s stunning Islington Assembly Hall in celebration of her latest full-length record, ‘I WANT MY LOVED ONES TO GO WITH ME’, which h…

10/07/2025

For years now, music, thanks to streaming & co., has known close to no borders. Riding this wave, a fresh generation of artists from Germany and Austria has slowly but surely been taking over the international music scene – and they’re doing it in English. ⭐️

Leading the charge are Zimmer90, Leoniden, and Sharktank – bands who have become prime examples of how breaking free from traditional moulds and refusing to be boxed into specific genres or cultural expectations can help you grow into directions which seemed almost impossible to reach before. 🎶

From small-town beginnings to global spotlights, their journeys are as compelling as their music and offer insight into what it takes to capture hearts across the globe one overseas gig at a time.

Check out the full feature via the link below. 🖤

https://read-gem.com/2025/07/10/interview-german-bands-taking-over-the-world/

For years now, music, thanks to streaming & co., has known close to no borders. Riding this wave, a fresh generation of artists from Germany and Austria has slowly but surely been taking over t…

05/07/2025

Dhruv emerged into the international music scene in 2019 after his single ‘double take’ went viral. His music career has been skyrocketing since, having released his debut album ‘Private Blizzard’, toured multiple parts of the world and performed live on US and UK television at Jimmy Kimmel and Jools Holland in a matter of a year. 💜

We spoke to the London-born, Singapore-raised creative of Indian descent at the end of 2024 about how his multicultural upbringing impacted his music likings, how writing his debut album helped him untie the knots in his head and how he used his obsession with Amy Winehouse to train his singing voice early on. 🌟

Check out the full interview via the link below.

📸: Stefan Kohli

Dhruv emerged into the international music scene in 2019 after his single ‘double take’ went viral. His music career has been skyrocketing since, having released his debut album ‘…

18/06/2025

The moment has finally come – the new era of twenty one pilots has arrived. On June 12th, the Ohio-based duo made up of singer Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, released their latest single ‘The Contract’ from their upcoming, highly-anticipated eighth full-length record ‘Breach’, which was announced after an array of cryptic posts, secret messages, hidden countdowns, and a very special bit of performance during their final night on the “Clancy World Tour” in London in late May. ❤️

Follow the link below to read the full review of the dazzling track and another dive into the duo’s intricate lore. 🌟

📸: Fabien Kruszelnicki

The moment has finally come – the new era of Twenty One Pilots has arrived. On June 12th, the Ohio-based duo made up of singer Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, released their latest single …

05/06/2025

2025 is already a big year for Australian pop newcomer Lyric as she released a brand new single ‘Make a Move’ last month, is about to embark on a UK & Ireland tour next month – with the London show already being sold out – and is currently working on a new EP. 🤍

The 21-year-old singer is not only a songwriter but also a producer for her own songs, making her a triple threat and someone to look out for on the pop star horizon. We sat down with the creative on a Tuesday morning – for her the evening after she spent all day in the studio – to discuss childhood idols, the musical and visual inspirations behind her artistry, and how running a fan account in her teenage years prepared her for a successful social media presence today. 💐

Follow the link below to read the full interview.

2025 is already a big year for Australian pop newcomer Lyric, as she released a brand new single ‘Make a Move’ last month, is about to embark on a UK & Ireland tour next month – with the …

30/05/2025

The importance of genuine friendship, synergy and passion is what the London-based band, humaninterestband, is built on. Guitarist Cat Harrison (Harry) and bassist Tyler Damara Kelly met through the uplifting and wholesome safe space of a fe**sh club Whatsapp group and connected through their love of music. Kelly had been a bedroom bassist for a few years, so joining a band was something far from her mind until Harry saw a fire in her in videos she had posted online and pushed her to believe in herself as a performer: “Don’t overthink it and say you won’t ever be good enough. Just throw yourself into it and don’t doubt yourself. There’s no age limit to starting what you love.” 🎶

Read our full interview with the two-piece via the link below. 🌟

📸: Dougie Chalmers

The importance of genuine friendship, synergy and passion is what the London-based band, Human Interest, is built on. Guitarist Cat Harrison (Harry) and bassist Tyler Damara Kelly met through …