New Artist Alert: Jennah Bell to Perform at BET Awards

If you watch the BET Awards, you’ve probably noticed the Music Matters segments, where unknown, unsigned, or underexposed artists get an opportunity to perform as the telecast goes to commercial break. The coveted opportunity can lead to boost in interest and attention from established producers, labels and artists. Former artists profiled include Melanie Fiona, Mali Music, and Elle Varner.

Though most of the line-up has already been set, today, I found a new addition in my Twitter feed. Jennah Bell, a Berklee-trained singer/songwriter tweeted that she’d just been added to the roster. Having never heard her work, I looked her up. She’s great! Her EP, Early Bird, features five songs (each can be purchased for one dollar). At 23, she already sounds polished and unique. Her folk-pop aesthetic is a refreshing innocence.

According to her bio, her work is influenced by bluegrass, dub, rock, funk, and hip-hop. Check out her tracks in advance of the awards (or in lieu of them, in case you weren’t planning to watch) and let us know what you think.

Here’s a video for a track that isn’t included on her EP, “Yes, this is a holdup.”: