Young Platform One stars release singles

Emily Wild goes under the stage name, Emellia © Marek Skiba

Platform One star Jasmin Connell launched her single, Footsteps, with a concert at Strings music bar in Newport. The IW Observer went along to watch her performance, and speak with two other stars from Platform One who are also releasing singles today: Emily Wild and Summer King.

Jasmin (Jaz) Connell, 20, has been strongly influenced by country music and Americana. This interest has even taken her to Nashville, Tennessee. She says that her favourite musicians include Kacey Musgraves, Ruston Kelly and the Cramps.

Jasmin (Jaz) Connell © Marek Skiba

Jaz says of her single, Footsteps: “It’s about making your own path and doing your own thing. What I believe in. I’m super-excited about the release of the single. I perform songs to get them heard. I love playing to an audience. I love telling people my story.”

She added: “Platform One has helped me with confidence and motivation. I can’t thank them enough.”

Emily Wild goes under the stage name, Emellia. She said: “As I was growing up, I was surrounded by music. My Dad repeatedly listened to Elvis Presley, my auntie and Nanna were singers, and my cousin worked in a studio, so from an early age it was all introduced to me. “When I first learnt to play piano aged 12, I would start putting words to chords and, before I knew it, I was writing songs. Some songs were super-ridiculous because of how young I was! But it all motivated me and I grew with my music.”

About her soon-to-be-released single, she said: “Authority is about a person that is in love with somebody, but that person doesn’t feel the same way and is unsure. I wanted my first single to be relatable because not everybody finds it easy to let go and it’s easy to say you’re over somebody when you’re not. I thought love and heartbreak would be the best way to connect with my audience, using synthetic, electronic sounds.”

Emellia added: “I have always been inspired by Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin growing up, and more recently Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie and Beyonce also inspire me. All of these artists have such powerful, distinctive voices in song with powerful lyrics and huge choruses. Naturally, it became my goal to have a similar vibe to my music.”

Emellia says Platform One has given her the confidence to do this, something she has always wanted to do. It has given her the boost and the motivation.

Summer King, 20, goes under the stage name of Roni. She started singing lessons at the age of six, encouraged by her Dad’s interest in music. Roni plays electro-pop, and claims Arianne Grande and Charlotte Black as influences. Her musical influences are the piano and the guitar, but says that her voice is the most important aspect of her repertoire.

Roni says that her single, Mutual, is about falling out of love and then falling in love all over again.

She added: “Platform One has really motivated me to embark on a career in music. They are amazing. You get so much contact, time and help.”