- Words Solly Warner
International Dancehall and Afro Fusion artist, TARELA, releases new single “Hold Me Down” and picks 10Trax you’ll never get bored of.
Based in the US, TARELA’s sound is a refreshing blend that embodies Nigerian Dancehall and Afro-Fusion, creating a highly vibrant style. His lyrical content uplifts and resonates, focusing on themes of resilience, love, motivation, and celebration of life. Formerly known as Squeeze Tarela, the singer-songwriter has built a catalogue of joyful music that includes tracks such as “Hottest Thing”, “Better”, “Cocoa Butter” and “Bend”.
Produced by Giggz, TARELA’s latest release, “Hold Me Down” plays with Caribbean flows and sun-soaked melodies, with reggae instrumentation setting the tone for the beat. Effortlessly skipping between Jamaican patois and soulful English delivery, TARELA creates a track brimming with a heart-filled vibe.
Leaning on the theme of love, TARELA explains, “Hold Me Down is the first single off my 5 track EP titled ‘ELECTRIC’ set to drop this summer. The song was produced by Giggz and the strings by Sam Ofori added more life to the song. I simply wanted to portray the importance of the strength of a woman when she is loved and appreciated by her man. Hold Me Down is created for everyone who sees the importance of a loyal woman.”
Now, TARELA has picked 10Trax that will get you back in the groove for 2021. Dive in!
“Hold Me Down” by TARELA
"This is my get my groove back on in 2021 song."
"Levitating (feat. DaBaby)" by Dua Lipa
"This would be the perfect New Year’s Eve song."
"Leave The Door Open" by Anderson Paak, Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic
"Every time I hear this song I feel the same feeling as when I heard it for the first time."
"Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)" by Justin Bieber
"This song never gets boring, I play it on a loop."
"Lighter" by Tarrus Riley
"I love it but the song is way too nice to be so short."
"Come Through (feat. Chris Brown)" by H.E.R
https://open.spotify.com/track/3krZxyBsWEHfEfJegYaWTd?si=C0FW9slpRpK36Roh7TyyAQ&dl_branch=1"Their vocals together are like fine wine, smooth like butter, sweet like sugar and divine in time."
"One Love" by Bob Marley
"This song is so good I can’t stop listening to it."
"Affairs Of The Heart" by Damian Marley
"One of the greatest songs ever made."
"Wild Thoughts (feat. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller" by Dj Khalid
"Dj Khalid is the type of person who wouldn’t pay attention in class and get straight A’s, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller were flawless on this record."
"Rock Away" by Beres Hammond
"On this record Beres Hammond Makes me want to slow dance with someone special and reminds me not to take life for granted but appreciate the time I've got."