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M Huncho Connects With 3 Rising European Talents For New Globe-Trotting Team-Up
To help the trio forge international connections and introduce themselves to the UK’s rap, trap and drill scenes, M Huncho was the perfect choice; an artist who’s made a career out of bridging the rap-drill divide and even taking it into mainstream spaces, all without compromising on the content and without taking off that iconic mask.
We managed to catch up with Huncholini briefly and he was as enthusiastic about the concept as the three young artists, not least because it gave him an opportunity to give back. “Ultimately, I have to remember where I started,” he told Complex. “I wouldn’t be here without the support of the platform where I released my first freestyle. There is so much talent out there and I think it’s important to shed light.”
For someone as versatile as M Huncho, it seems like a no-brainer. Turin-raised Axell, for example, is a man after his own heart, a dyed-in-the-wool drill and rap head whose mixture of explosive on-mic energy balanced with a tendency towards melodic makes him the most obvious and natural fit for a team-up with M Huncho. On the flip side is Madrid-based DEVA whose moody, sultry brand of R&B backed with bouncy reggaeton-leaning rhythms could draw something new but entirely fitting out of Huncho. Somewhere in the middle of all of that is French rap, trap and R&B hybrid Vicky R, an artist with scattergun flow whose as comfortable on both rap and R&B productions as Huncho himself. Regardless of how closely they seem to match up with M Huncho’s style, all three are brimming with an insatiable energy that would make for a wildly successful big-name, cross-border collab.
They’ve been in the studio together already, hard at work on a track and a video to go with it. Both are being kept under lock and key for now, with the grand unveiling on March 30, so we can only speculate about how their four respective sounds coalesced in the booth, but the stills we can exclusively share with you below suggest something pretty epic.
EXCLUSIVE: Burna Boy To Co-Headline 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show By Pepsi
“As a huge football fan myself, I know it doesn’t get any bigger than the UEFA Champions League,” Burna Boy said: “That’s why I’m so excited to be performing on the Pepsi stage at this year’s final. Music and football are the ultimate combination, so you already know I’ll be bringing the vibes and making magic in Istanbul. The world ain’t ready for what we have in store!”
Gustavo Reyna, Pepsi’s Senior Director of Global Marketing, added: “The UEFA Champions League Final is the standout date of the club football calendar, and Pepsi prides itself on marking the occasion with the very best entertainment spectacles. The newly named Kick Off Show by Pepsi is going to be huge this year; we’re so excited to welcome Burna Boy, one of the world’s most exciting artists, to the Pepsi x UEFA Champions League stage and we can’t wait to see which fans are selected to feature as part of this truly unmissable performance. Stay tuned to find out who is co-headlining alongside Burna Boy in the weeks to come!”
The UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show is a significant part of our joint efforts with Pepsi, providing an incredible opportunity to reach new and younger audiences with some of the biggest names and rising stars in music. We’re excited to showcase a line-up of talented artists at this season’s Final in Istanbul in what is sure to be an energetic and memorable performance,” said UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.
The 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final will take place at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10. You can watch the show via your local broadcaster and through the official UEFA YouTube and TikTok channels and stay tuned for more exciting news by following the Pepsi Global social channels.