Brooke Combe – “Black is the New Gold”

SXSW 2023 – OEB Score 9, Popularity Index 6

Pairs well with … Amy Winehouse, Yola, Whitney Houston

Brooke Combe is an up and coming soul and R&B artist out of Edinburgh, Scotland.  Her initial breakout came on TikTok during the 2020 World Cup qualifiers when she covered the unofficial anthem of the Scottish National team, the 1997 disco song, “Yes, Sir  I Can Boogie.”  But Combe’s breakout is a long time coming. She began with a toy drum kit as a toddler, learning five more instruments in her teens, and only then taking vocal lessons. She was also fed a steady diet of Motown and Whitney Houston by her parents and grandparents. All these influences are reflected in her music. She clearly has a “voice,” but unlike some soul and R&B singers, she doesn’t over-rely on her pipes. Rather, she uses her voice like another musical instrument to serve the song rather than overpower it. Her most recent single, “Black is the New Gold” could have been the soundtrack for a vintage Bond movie, except that it has a modern clean freshness including a compelling flute line.  Another recent single, “Miss Me Now” is a radio friendly upbeat disco track that will have SXSW audiences dancing.  Combe has only seven tracks on Spotify so there is a good chance we will hear all her recorded music during a SXSW set. But dig a little deeper on the Web and there are more gems.  For example, she did a killer cover of “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads with Jamie Webster, a standout from last year’s SXSW. This is an artist you want to catch now in the intimate venues that Austin provides. (David Zlotnick)