Ones to Watch

British singer Rita Ora seems to always have more hype around her private life and doesn't sometime get the recognition she deserves. She makes grand red carpet appearances where people forget the strong the voice that she has. I interviewed her early in her career when Iggy Azalea opened for her at The Mid that mini tour produced the megahit "Black Widow." She returned to Chicago to play at Lincoln Hall in 2015 where she arrived a little late because of airplane issues and appologized prefusely. Her set was tight and the crowd was treated to a great time.

I've been listening to Gin Wigmore since her song debuted on HBO's Weeds television show. Her third album Blood to Bone dropped this summer and she played Schubas in Chicago to support it. The venue was a bit small for her and the raspy voice was huge in the room. Her back up band teamed up well to create a sound that paired well with record versions of tracks like "If Only" and "Black Sheep." For some reason radio play has not been as strong as her soundtrack work especially noticeable when newcomer Elle King is ruling the waves with a similar sound. She met with fans for over an hour after her set, which shows she is willing to do what it takes.