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Global Spin: Roman Captures The High Drama Of Heartbreak In A Performance Of His Unreleased Track "Love Again"
Roman

Photo: Brian Bowen Smith

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Global Spin: Roman Captures The High Drama Of Heartbreak In A Performance Of His Unreleased Track "Love Again"

Russian-American singer Roman brings fans all the way to Moscow for a performance of his heartache anthem, "Love Again," which he debuts on Global Spin.

GRAMMYs/Aug 2, 2022 - 05:00 pm

Russian-American singer Roman confronts his heartache in "Love Again," a powerful, high-drama heartbreak anthem that culminates in the chorus' central question: "Will I ever love again?" 

In this episode of Global Spin, Roman takes viewers all the way to Moscow for a series of emotionally intense scenes that perfectly match the song's mood. The clip opens with a nighttime sequence in a massive, ornate building, dotted with the high arches that are a signature architectural style of the city. 

From there, Roman's performance quickly moves to more interior spaces. We see candles being lit in the darkness, a backdrop lit up by tiny lights and a mirror. Juxtaposed against the images of light, Roman's face is shrouded in darkness as he sings, representing the devastation and loneliness conveyed in the song's lyrics.

Visual elements and lyrical subject matter aren't the only sources of drama in this performance, either. Prowling strings and a heart-pounding beat attend Roman's performance from start to finish — and at the center of the performance is the singer's full-throated, rasping vocal quality, a tone that lends his voice perfectly to songs about anguish and pain.

That signature vocal timbre has earned Roman a spot in music on a global level. Known for his appearances on The Voice, The Four and Star Factory, he has also appeared on soundtracks of the Russian versions of Disney's Frozen 2 and Cars 2. Roman has toured more than 250 cities across Europe and Asia, and further cemented his position as an international singer with performances at the Olympic games in Beijing and Sochi. 

"Love Again" is one of many tracks Roman has been working on since releasing his 2020 album, Letters of Happiness; he hopes to release an album next year. In the meantime, watch Roman perform this unreleased track, and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Global Spin.

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Global Spin: ShaSimone Gets Candid About Fame In This Moving Performance Of "Top 5"
ShaSimone

Photo: Tristan Gibbs

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Global Spin: ShaSimone Gets Candid About Fame In This Moving Performance Of "Top 5"

Rising British-Ghanaian rapper ShaSimone ruminates the past two years of her musical career in this introspective performance of "Top 5," a track from her debut project, 'Simma Down.'

GRAMMYs/Mar 21, 2023 - 05:00 pm

When British-Ghanaian rapper ShaSimone started posting freestyles on Twitter during the height of the pandemic, she never anticipated the platform would skyrocket her love of music into a career. After a whirlwind two years, ShaSimone went from working as a hairstylist to featuring on fellow British rapper Dave's sophomore album, We're All Alone In This Together, and creating her first EP, Simma Down.

In this episode of Global Spin, ShaSimone performs "Top 5," the intro to her debut project that explores the ups and downs of her newfound fame.

ShaSimone stands in front of a microphone, accompanied by a live band, as she contemplates the lost relationships and the bittersweet satisfaction of achieving her dream. "Pray for better days/ Man, forgettin' that the journey to destination are gonna be some of my best days," she raps at the end of the track.

Though ShaSimone's passion is found within the music, her purpose runs deeper. "I want to inspire girls that look like me. I want to show people that you can be confident, look different from what's out there, and still love yourself," she said in a press release.

Press play on the video above to watch ShaSimone reflect on her journey to stardom in this powerful performance of "Top 5," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.

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Global Spin: Watch Cameroonian Singer/Songwriter Andy Allo Perform A Joyous Version Of "Back To Africa"
Andy Allo

Photo: Alexander Akande

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Global Spin: Watch Cameroonian Singer/Songwriter Andy Allo Perform A Joyous Version Of "Back To Africa"

Joined by the Baka women of Bifolone, Andy Allo is all smiles as she performs an exalting ode to her precious home continent.

GRAMMYs/Mar 7, 2023 - 06:00 pm

Andy Allo is all smiles, holding her acoustic guitar under a small, wooden roof in the verdant climes of South Cameroon. There's no amplification; she has no band. But she does have radiant backing — via the Baka women of Bifolone, who augment her performance with their exultant vocals.

"As long as you're here/ Might as well say/ Don't be afraid/ I'm going away," Allo sings. "The one you knew/ Bid adieu/ Somewhere a long time ago." As the singer/songwriter's rendition of "Back to Africa" picks up steam, so do her accompanists, who lift up this exuberant performance with their claps and counterpoint.

In this episode of Global Spin, watch this feel-good performance straight from South Cameroon. Therein, the throng sing in exultation as they deliver this ode to the precious continent.

Allo already commands a sizable legacy. In her twenties, she was a guitarist and vocalist in Prince's band; the Purple One also co-wrote several songs with Allo and served as executive producer on her second album, Superconductor.

In her thirties, she is one of the two stars of "Upload," a Prime Video series helmed by Greg Daniels from "The Office"; the show returns for its second season on March 11.

Watch Allos' humanistic performance of "Back to Africa" above, and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Global Spin.

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Global Spin: Focalistic Lights Up The Stage With An Electric Performance Of "SJEPA"
Focalistic

Photo: Malwandla Rikhotso

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Global Spin: Focalistic Lights Up The Stage With An Electric Performance Of "SJEPA"

South African musician Focalistic offers a (literally) illuminating performance of "SJEPA," an upbeat amapiano track from his latest album, 'Ghetto Gospel.'

GRAMMYs/Feb 21, 2023 - 05:12 pm

If you ask Pretoria musician Focalistic how to define himself, he would say "focalistic-cataclism" — a term his cousin coined that describes a "focused person who's going to change the world and how people view things."

As the budding artist continues to rise in popularity, he's doing just that, spreading awareness about the sphere of South Africa and amapiano music.

In this episode of Global Spin, Focalistic delivers a glowing performance of "SJEPA," the lead single from his latest album, Ghetto Gospel. Stationed center in a dark, empty room, only accompanied by the illumination of pink neon strobes, Focalistic's simplistic staging spotlights the singer's bouncy lyricism and sharp vocal cadence.

Ghetto Gospel is Focalistic's third studio album and collaboration project with fellow Pretoria music duo Mellow & Sleazy, helmed by additional appearances from other leading South African performers, such as Sjava and DBN Gogo.

This era of Focalistic, really, is all about uniting creatives around the continent: "The saying is 'collaboration over competition,' so you'll notice a feature in many of my songs. We're at a point right now with African music where it's about showing the true spirit of Ubuntu," he told GQ in 2022.

Press play on the video above to watch Focalistic's captivating performance of "Sjepa," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com every Tuesday for more new episodes of Global Spin.

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Global Spin: Manal Premieres "7iya," A Wavy New Single From Her Upcoming Second Album
Manal

Photo: Psycho Moustache

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Global Spin: Manal Premieres "7iya," A Wavy New Single From Her Upcoming Second Album

Moroccan singer/songwriter Manal offers a sultry debut performance of her never-before-heard song, "7iya," from her forthcoming studio album.

GRAMMYs/Jan 24, 2023 - 06:45 pm

Moroccan pop singer Manal never expected to have a full-time career as a performer. She balanced her appearance on the Lebanese reality competition series Star Academy with her business and finance studies before eventually pursuing a Master's degree and a Ph.D.

But after a whirlwind few years of posting covers on YouTube and independently releasing music, Manal signed with Sony Music Middle East and skyrocketed to fame with her major label debut single, "Taj," in 2018. She's since released her first album, 360, in 2021, and was featured in the 2022 FIFA World Cup soundtrack.

In this episode of Global Spin, Manal enters her next chapter with a premiere of her newest release, "7iya." Clad in traditional jewelry, she pays homage to her Moroccan heritage as she simultaneously sings in her native language, Arabic. The simplistic set allows Manal's vocals to take center stage as she dances slowly around an empty white room.

"7iya" is the second single from Manal's upcoming second studio album, following the release of "3ari" in March 2022.

"My second album is even more important to me than my first one," she teased in an interview with L'Officiel Arabia. "You're going to be able to get to know another aspect of my personality in this project."

Press play on the video above to watch Manal's exclusive performance of "7iya," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com every Tuesday for more new episodes of Global Spin. 

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