Belgian hip-hop duo blackwave. have teamed up with London-based musician Jordan Mackampa for their latest single, "Champion," set to feature on the digital deluxe version of their sophomore album "No Sleep in LA," which was released last year. The album is set to drop on September 8th, 2023, a year after its initial release.
Known for their nostalgic and emotive style of hip-hop, blackwave. takes a reflective approach with "Champion." The track explores the high standards they strive to live up to and their fear of failure, inspired by Jean-Valéry Atohoun's relationship with his late father. Jordan Mackampa's empathetic songwriting ability adds an uplifting and catchy chorus to the track, while Willem Ardui, blackwave.'s singer-producer, delivers a pensive bridge.
The down-tempo soundscape of "Champion" is enhanced with jazz-infused piano and brass work, forming a sentimental offering that showcases the successful link-up between blackwave. and Jordan Mackampa.
Jean-Valéry Atohoun reveals that "Champion" is a special song for him, as his father always called him a champion, pushing him to strive to be one of the greatest in whatever he did from his earliest memories up until his father's passing two years ago. This positively influenced him to always strive to be part of the best in any field he entered, but it also led to negative thoughts whenever he wasn't achieving his goals.
Jordan Mackampa adds that the song helped him see that, even when you feel like you've lost, in someone else's eyes, you're still a winner.
Blackwave. is still riding high from the success of their "No Sleep in LA" album, which featured collaborations with Abhi The Nomad, Caleborate, and Lute, among others. The duo's collab with Abhi The Nomad for "A-Okay" secured them a spot on the FIFA 23 soundtrack alongside artists such as Loyle Carner, Nas, and Gorillaz.
The duo is set to perform at a number of international festivals this summer, including Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop, and recently supported Two Another at London's KOKO in March. Stay tuned for more new music set to follow this summer as blackwave. continues to build on their momentum with "Champion."
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