Artists to Watch in 2018: EBONY

Once you've finished your first listen of 'Skin & Bones', the debut single by Sydney-based artist EBONY, you'll find yourself compulsively and instinctively heading for that repeat button. You might not even mean to, but that's just because EBONY has bewitched you with her restrained yet meticulous approach to electronic and R&B music, and frankly it's a spell that isn't about to be broken anytime soon.

The reason why EBONY shines so much brighter than all the noise around her is that she doesn't need to be the loudest in the room for you to hear her. 'Skin & Bones' never feels like more than a sensual whisper - fitting given the stunningly raw portrayal of intimacy explored throughout the song - but that whisper will send shivers through every bone and every bloodstream.

While her production is complex and EBONY has a clear knack for making sure no millisecond goes to waste, it's truly her gorgeous voice that seals her fate as a bonafide superstar. Her voice is lush and smooth, and injects her debut single with an almost overwhelming amount of lust and sensuality. It delicately floats around every last beat without ever seeming jarring or noisy - she's mastered a balance most don't conquer until they're veterans.

Mastering that balance shows EBONY is both a passionate and intelligent artist. While it's not hard to give a little more, EBONY has demonstrated the vital importance of giving a little less. While her melting pot of electronic, pop and R&B might be quiet, the noise she's making as a force is almost deafening and will be ringing in your ears for years to come.

Words by JACKSON LANGFORD

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EBONY OFFERS UP STUNNING, SEXY R&B IN ‘SKIN & BONES’