I was actually wondering where Eaves would finish here - considering it's (I'd have thought) pretty far outside your usual taste and also bombed and not really heard from the artist since, I'll take not bottom 5 for that, I think I was like its biggest fan in the contest and still remember it quite well, lovely song.

Eaves is the best one so far

I knew it found its fans *_* glad to see it wasn't a wasted endeavour. I still enjoy the song as much as I did before, it's far outside my taste as Bré says but it's aged pretty well, I think it's actually probably finished higher than I anticipated already...!

94 | BJSC 68

 

Shystie featuring Jalissa

Stop

 

http://i.imgur.com/IN2zEnq.png

 

Semi Final: 23rd (38 points)

Final: DNQ

Personal Chart Peak: #6

 

Some songs feel like time capsules, and this is one that takes me straight back to discovering it in summer 2014. I'm fairly sure I found it while on holiday, and I can even picture the bedroom I stayed in while listening to it...! Shystie is a British rapper who achieved a UK top 40 hit with One Wish in 2004, squeezing in at #40 (I must confess, I've never heard that song!). Released following her EP Pink Mist, Stop felt like a great discovery to me and an obvious BJSC entry. Sadly, even an interpolation of The Supremes' Stop! In the Name of Love in the chorus couldn't help it qualify. Shystie teamed up with singer Jalissa again a couple of months later, but Let Me Go wasn't as good as Stop and I've not heard anything by either since.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

Shystie

23/08/2014 | 06 | 06 weeks | Stop (feat. Jalissa) | NAS | 6-6-8-12-22-40-x

25/10/2014 | 37 | 01 weeks | Let Me Go (feat. Jalissa) | NAS | 37-x

 

Jalissa

23/08/2014 | 06 | 06 weeks | Stop (Shystie feat. Jalissa) | FEAT | 6-6-8-12-22-40-x

25/10/2014 | 37 | 01 weeks | Let Me Go (Shystie feat. Jalissa) | FEAT | 37-x

 

93 | BJSC 152

 

Torine

see u in hell

 

 

Semi Final: 26th (39 points)

Final: DNQ

Personal Chart Peak: #9

 

I discovered Norwegian pop singer Torine through another of my BJSC artists back in 2020. I sent Bastiaan to BJSC 127 with his song Someone Else, and its follow-up featured Torine on vocals. Hate You (The Same) was a top 5 hit in my chart, and Torine scored another couple of top 40s a couple pf months later when I delved into her solo music, with Cliché being a strong BJSC contender for me at the time (it was ditched in favour of either Fleurie or EBEN). Obviously it never came to fruition, but I found my way back to Torine when stuck for an entry for BJSC 152. see u in hell sported a more pop-punk sound and I liked it immediately, becoming her third top 10 in my chart. I had hopes that it would course correct TARO Bellamia back into the final after two DNQs in a row, but no such luck so I was a bit disappointed. The song isn't one of my top favourites that I've sent anyway so perhaps not the greatest loss, but the timing of its flop made it feel much more annoying.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

28/11/2020 | 05 | 04 weeks | Hate You (The Same) [bastiaan & Torine] | FEAT | 35-5-15-27-x

30/01/2021 | 05 | 05 weeks | Cliché | NAS | 5-10-18-27-38-x

30/01/2021 | 12 | 01 weeks | Stupid Things | NAS | 12-x

10/04/2021 | 33 | 01 weeks | Bored | NAS | 33-x

11/02/2023 | 09 | 03 weeks | see u in hell | 1 | 9-18-31-x

 

Both of the songs you sent to the contests I (solo) hosted out already, great to know you were sending your best to me... :basil:

Both of the songs you sent to the contests I (solo) hosted out already, great to know you were sending your best to me... :basil:

You got what you deserved

92 | BJSC 50

 

Nina Nesbitt

Boy

 

http://i.imgur.com/JRVrEI8.png

 

Semi Final: 23rd (35 points)

Final: DNQ

Personal Chart Peak: #7

 

Some shameful recycling of a BJSC discovery here! I first discovered Nina Nesbitt in BJSC 44 when sent by Ashton and I really liked it, later charting it in my top 20. Nina remained on my radar so naturally I was keen to send her follow-up single Boy. The bad news was that it didn't click with the voter base like The Apple Tree did and it failed to qualify, which was par for the course for TARO Bellamia in the early days so I don't think it affected me too much. Nina went on to score a UK top 40 hit with her next single, the brilliant Stay Out (and another later on with Selfies), and she's achieved a total of six top 10 hits in my chart, of which Boy was the first! It's not one that I go back to much now, and I'd pick a few other Nina songs to listen to before Boy, but it's a solid track and underrated too.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

19/05/2012 | 20 | 01 weeks | The Apple Tree | 1 | 20-x

29/09/2012 | 07 | 09 weeks | Boy | NAS | 7-7-11-15-21-15-12-16-23-x

16/02/2013 | 04 | 10 weeks | Stay Out | 2 | 4-6-16-25-30-35-16-18-23-33-x

15/06/2013 | 07 | 07 weeks | Way In the World | NAS | 7-13-21-30-33-39-35-x

31/08/2013 | 12 | 04 weeks | Don't Stop | 3 | 12-18-23-35-x

15/02/2014 | 20 | 02 weeks | Selfies | 4 | 20-31-x

16/01/2016 | 28 | 02 weeks | Chewing Gum | 1 | 28-34-x

13/10/2018 | 06 | 04 weeks | Loyal to Me | 4 | 6-11-23-30-x

22/12/2018 | 08 | 06 weeks | Somebody (Sigala, HRVY & Nina Nesbitt) | FEAT | 8-9-11-16-23-33-x

09/02/2019 | 10 | 03 weeks | Colder | 5 | 10-23-40-x

20/04/2019 | 39 | 01 weeks | Love Letter | 6 | 39-x

18/05/2019 | 14 | 02 weeks | Afterhours (teamwork., Nina Nesbitt & AJ Mitchell) | FEAT | 14-35-x

21/09/2019 | 14 | 02 weeks | Black & Blue | 7 | 14-24-x

11/01/2020 | 13 | 02 weeks | Miss You 2 (Gabrielle Aplin & Nina Nesbitt) | FEAT | 13-28-x

 

I had no idea this happened...!!!

She charted twice back in late 2017-2018: “Catch A Body” peaked at #37 and “Damn” made it as high as #31 which was pretty surprising for someone who had little to no momentum

She charted twice back in late 2017-2018: “Catch A Body” peaked at #37 and “Damn” made it as high as #31 which was pretty surprising for someone who had little to no momentum

Not bad at all...! I had no idea she was still releasing music, another win for TARO Bellamia x

91 | BJSC 77

 

WØLFFE

Shoot You Down

 

http://i.imgur.com/mJxpgdK.png

 

Semi Final: 5th (89 points)

Final: 30th (159 points)

Personal Chart Peak: #9

 

You'd think support act slots would be a minefield for discovering artists to send to BJSC, particularly with how many concerts I go to, but I've actually sent a relatively small number of support discoveries to the contest. WØLFFE is an example of one, though. I saw her supporting Hunter Hayes in May 2015, and I really liked Shoot You Down in particular. I later sought out the song and sent it to BJSC, resulting a safe qualifier, before I saw her supporting Hunter Hayes once again that same September...! Shoot You Down is her only song on Spotify so she remains a one hit wonder in my chart, but I still enjoy how atmospheric and moody this is.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

27/06/2015 | 09 | 09 weeks | Shoot You Down | NAS | 9-13-19-27-26-18-23-30-35-x

 

90 | BJSC 60

 

Topher Jones featuring Katie Sky

Talk About It

 

http://i.imgur.com/m9vnyyM.png

 

Semi Final: 13th (62 points)

Final: 16th (79 points)

Personal Chart Peak: #4

 

A song I loved in the months before I started my personal chart was Sweet Sweet Melody by Katie Sky (sent by Ramrynia just a few months before I joined the contest, later making my chart top 20 regardless). It's still one of my most played songs, so around that time I had a keen eye on Katie's output. I found this song that Katie provides the vocals for, though its lead artist is American DJ Topher Jones. I loved the song and it quickly became a top 10 hit in my chart, as well as a BJSC top 20 for me after a DNQ. The video linked is the song's original mix, at a length of 5:30 to make it my longest entry. It wasn't on YouTube at the time and no shorter version existed then, so this was the version I chose to send! It sounds somewhat dated now and I haven't paid either artist much attention since; Topher Jones only released a few singles after Talk About It, while Katie Sky released music most recently last year!

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

Topher Jones

19/10/2013 | 04 | 07 weeks | Talk About It (feat. Katie Sky) | NAS | 14-4-7-13-22-26-35-x

 

Katie Sky

14/04/2012 | 13 | 02 weeks | Sweet Sweet Melody | 1 | 17-13-x

19/10/2013 | 04 | 07 weeks | Talk About It (Topher Jones feat. Katie Sky) | FEAT | 14-4-7-13-22-26-35-x

 

'Shoot You Down' is fab. Hadn't heard since then. Remember you showing me that on Facebook for something different. Deserved better than 30th tbh.

'Shoot You Down' is fab. Hadn't heard since then. Remember you showing me that on Facebook for something different. Deserved better than 30th tbh.

Thanks Rob! Naturally, I agree

89 | BJSC 47

 

Kristyna Myles

I'm Not Going Back

 

http://i.imgur.com/k7xsP8j.png

 

Semi Final: 13th (52 points)

Final: 29th (57 points)

Personal Chart Peak: #5

 

Four contests in, four DNQs. I wasn't really sure how to crack BJSC and what would actually do well. My fourth contest saw my best semi placement to date, but it still wasn't enough. Enter Kristyna Myles, my fifth entrant, a MOBO-nominated singer/songwriter. This is one example where I truly cannot remember how I discovered an artist, I certainly didn't browse through blogs as I didn't really know any in 2012, but however I found her, Kristyna arrived at just the right time. I'm Not Going Back broke the curse, becoming my first qualifier! I was overjoyed, and when it came to the final, I really didn't care where it finished. I was just glad to be part of the action. A start so ropey teaches you to be grateful for every qualifier as it allows you to be a full participant in the whole contest, so I was delighted. The song itself wasn't even miles away from my previous entries but it clearly hit the spot! I charted another Kristyna song a couple of years later when her album Pinch Me Quick was finally released but she's fallen off my radar in the years since.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

21/07/2012 | 05 | 10 weeks | I'm Not Going Back | 1 | 18-12-5-5-7-9-12-18-24-30-x

15/03/2014 | 33 | 01 weeks | Just Three Little Words | 2 | 33-x

 

88 | BJSC 137

 

Claire Rosinkranz

Frankenstein

 

 

Semi Final: 23rd (43 points)

Final: DNQ

Personal Chart Peak: #5

 

I think this must have been a song I found trawling through Spotify playlists, which is often how I find a lot of new music these days. American singer Claire Rosinkranz had a minor chart hit with Backyard Boy in 2020 so I'd have known the name by the time I discovered Frankenstein, which felt perfect for BJSC. At that point, I'd finally broken the curse of 5 consecutive qualifiers, a statistic I'd achieved four times before but never anything higher! Frankenstein broke my record streak at a new high of six (which has become the new curse as I got to six again in 2022), which I think disappointed me at the time as Frankenstein was so catchy to my ears, but it wasn't meant to be. In the time since, I've not gone back to it loads, instead gravitating more towards Claire's Sarcastic Sounds collaboration change ur mind (which pre-dates Frankenstein but charted in my top 40 for the first time following the release of his EP).

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

31/07/2021 | 05 | 06 weeks | Frankenstein | 1 | 22-5-5-9-21-32-x

23/04/2022 | 19 | 01 weeks | change ur mind (Sarcastic Sounds, Claire Rosinkranz & Clinton Kane) | FEAT | 19-x

 

87 | BJSC 64

 

Cassie Steele

Mad

 

http://i.imgur.com/Au1F6FP.png

 

Semi Final: 15th (48 points)

Final: 28th (105 points)

Personal Chart Peak: #7

 

The definition of an artist I found when looking specifically for a BJSC entry, Cassie Steele was an artist I hadn't heard from before I sent to the contest, nor have I heard about her since. Going by Wikipedia, she's actually best known as an actress from Degrassi: The Next Generation, and has voiced a character on Rick & Morty. Musically, Cassie's not released anything since 2014 (also when Mad came out) so I haven't really missed much anyway. Either way, Mad's part of a unique moment in BJSC history where the semi-final results were discarded when the contest's co-host fell silent, with every entry rolling through to the "one big final" format. In the end, Mad would have qualified anyway so it was no fluke due to the nature of the contest, but it's not one that's cemented itself as a particularly memorable entry in itself for me (as good as I still think it sounds).

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

05/04/2014 | 07 | 07 weeks | Mad | NAS | 17-7-11-18-23-34-39-x

 

86 | BJSC 151

 

44phantom

hurricane

 

 

Semi Final: 23rd (43 points)

Final: DNQ

Personal Chart Peak: #2

 

My first entry of 2023 marked the first of a couple of pop-punk entries in quick succession. 44phantom is the stage name of Brayton Mathews, best known for his song don't sleep, repeat (feat. Machine Gun Kelly). I discovered him on a Spotify playlist at the end of last year, and though hurricane was the first song I got to grips with, it was actually an unreleased song called Perfect Feeling that really captured me. The latter remains unreleased, only available on his YouTube account, but hurricane really grew on me and was a big hit in my chart at the start of 2023. I knew it was a slightly riskier song, but it was pretty much all I had that stood even a tiny chance of qualifying. Unfortunately, no luck! He's already scored a follow-up hit in my chart and I'm keen to see what else comes from 44phantom this year.

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

07/01/2023 | 02 | 06 weeks | hurricane | NAS | 8-2-4-12-22-30-x

28/01/2023 | 07 | 04 weeks | cherry cigarettes | NAS | 7-19-26-34-x

 

Aww 'Mad' was from my first BJSC contest and I still have a soft spot for it!

'Shoot You Down' and 'I'm Not Going Back' both made it into my votes - I think I still roughly remember the hook of the latter surprisingly despite it now being over a decade ago (:drama:) 2 down, 7 to go for TARO Bellamia entries I voted for x

Aww 'Mad' was from my first BJSC contest and I still have a soft spot for it!

Glad you still like it!! It's still a great song for sure :wub:

 

'Shoot You Down' and 'I'm Not Going Back' both made it into my votes - I think I still roughly remember the hook of the latter surprisingly despite it now being over a decade ago (:drama:) 2 down, 7 to go for TARO Bellamia entries I voted for x

The impact! :cheeseblock:

 

Thanks both!!

85 | BJSC 97

 

RIVRS

Playing With Fire

 

http://i.imgur.com/klFKl6P.png

 

Semi Final: 8th (84 points)

Final: 16th (185 points)

Personal Chart Peak: #8

 

Of all the places out there to find an entry, I found this one...on an advert! The Boohoo advertisement aired regularly on TV and I really liked the song that played during it so I Shazam'd it and, well, the rest is history. RIVRS are a duo from London, comprising vocalist Charlotte Mallory and producer Finn Munro. Aside from an EP called "Old Demos" in 2019, Playing With Fire was the final single released by the duo. To my delight, it was a sizeable BJSC hit, though I didn't know at the time it'd be my final qualifier before an extended break from the contest (my next qualifier would be almost 2 years later in BJSC 114).

 

TARO Bellamia Chart History

 

22/07/2017 | 08 | 07 weeks | Playing With Fire | NAS | 21-8-8-11-17-30-34-x