Mathea

Back in 2016, Mathea impressed Yvonne Catterfeld with her rendition of Elle King's Ex's & Oh's. As a result her life has changed. She is no longer an Austrian teenager dreaming of a music career, she is a respected and celebrated artist releasing her debut album. While she may not have won her series of The Voice, but her place of the musical map was firmly won.

Having taken her time to ensure quality control of her material, she waited a couple of years before releasing her debut single, 2018's 2x. The wait proved a sensible one. Having shaken off the TV Talent show label, her impressively catchy single stormed to #1 in Austria and gave her a debut German hit. But better was yet to come in the shape of the anthemic Chaos.

While her sensational third single Alles Gute (and the standout from her debut EP, Haribo), have failed to make the cut of her long-awaited debut album, M, fans need not worry for the final record blows the debut EP out of the water. M is a pop record of epic proportions.

The spacey nostalgia of opener Kein Tutu shows that this is not just an album written for commercial acclaim, but is the culmination of a journey of personal determination and ambition from a very young age.

Although the album is anthem heavy (not a complaint), it is in the more tender and touching moments that Mathea's depth as an artist can be seen. Current single, Haus, may still lean more towards the pop explosion, but it is the lyrical tribute to her parents that hooks you in. The lush Irgendeine Party highlights the vocal that caught the public's attention four years ago.

In stark contrast, the sprachgesang opening and intervals of Medium Rare showcase an urban-pop leaning that is evident in other areas of her sound, but is never brought fully to the fore.

Another notable highlight is the explosive Gib Bescheid, which has hit written in bigger letters over it than even Chaos did. If it isn't one of the hugest pop anthems of 2020, then we will eat our hats.

Impressively Mathea set the bar high for herself at the very outset of her career. A stand out on her series of The Voice, her debut single was a #1 hit which still dominates playlists and her debut EP was faultless. M manages to surpass all these achievements. This could easily be the finest debut album of 2020.

Mathea will soon be able to do far more than by a Haus for her parents...