A Salute to Co-Ed Duos

Wow. High five to the sudden emergence of guy/girl teams making great music. Namely: Nikki & Rich and Little & Ashley. (With other duos worth mentioning soon enough!)

So first up... Nikki & Rich is a sassy duo hailing from Los Angeles. Their songs – better described as soul singing meets doo-wop beats – are incredibly catchy and infectious. Of course they would be; what would you expect when you lock a hip-hop producer (Rich Skillz) and a gospel singer (Nikki Leonti) in a studio together? (Although the studio part is questionable - I'd be more inclined to think they recorded on the Soul Train stage or in a 1930's speakeasy based on their sound!) One listen – I’d recommend “Next Best Thing” or “Cat & Mouse” – and you may find yourself thinking, “Where has this song been all my life!?!?!?!?” Nikki & Rich’s debut album “Everything” is set to be released this June; I only hope that a tour will follow the debut because I imagine they must be great live!

The second pair worth mentioning is Little & Ashley. More formally recognized as Annie Little and Marcus Ashley, this is another duo from L.A. that has risen to fame because of, well… their jingles! Their songs “Stole My Heart” and “Fly Away” have been used in all of the Amazon Kindle commercials. “Stole My Heart” is a cute number that is reminiscent of something you’d hear in a movie like 500 Days of Summer (had they actually ended up together in the end). The sound itself isn’t necessarily novel – these upbeat ambitious (i.e. lovesick-while still-keeping-a-level-head) ballads seem to spring up all the time (re: Apple product commercials anyone? Flashbacks to “New Soul,” by Yael Naim, “1 2 3 4,” by Feist, “Bruises,” by Chairlift). Maybe this song won’t outlast its 15 minutes of fame. Maybe this song will be discarded as quickly as a mouthful of Listerince once a new spot comes out with the next tune of the moment. Maybe these songs are “ice cream cones,” (re: Elizabethtown) something sweet that lasts for five minutes but then melts away. But who cares? That’s the future. And this is today. These tunes will bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart. And who doesn’t like an ice cream cone every now and then?

Check out these bands using the links below, and leave comments with any up-and-coming co-ed duos that you know of!

Nikki & Rich - "Next Best Thing" Official Music Video
Nikki & Rich - "Cat & Mouse" Live
Little & Ashley - "Stole My Heart" (as part of the Amazon Kindle Commercial)(I believe that Little & Ashley may be the actors in the commercial)