Brooke Combe announces debut mixtape and shares new single

Brooke Combe has unveiled details of her debut mixtape, and shared the title track, which you can hear below.

The Edinburgh singer-songwriter will release Black Is the New Gold, an eight-track effort, on April 21. She’s prefaced it today (February 3) with its titular song, a soulful ode to her heritage. The 23-year-old has been tipped for stardom since winning the award for Breakthrough Artist at the Scottish Music Awards in 2021, a prize previously scooped by the likes of Lewis Capaldi and The Snuts. Combe also featured in Rolling Stone UK’s ones to watch for 2023.

‘Black Is the New Gold’ looks set to contain some deeply personal reflection on her roots, particularly if the title track is anything to go by. “At the time, I was like, ‘this is heavy, do I really want to go there?’” says Combe of writing the song. “But my mum was like, why not? My heritage has probably come from that, and it’s important people know who I am. I think it’s been an important step for me, learning more about myself by reading and researching more. It isn’t meant to be a preachy song – I’m not that person. But I do like to write music I can leave with people to ponder. Just think on it, and get back to me.”

The mixtape will also feature a slew of Combe’s early singles, which include ‘Miss Me Now’, ‘Impress You’, ‘A-Game’ and ‘Are You With Me?’ Those tracks originated from sessions in Liverpool with James Skelly of The Coral and Charlie Salt of Blossoms, both important early backers of Combe’s. “Doing all indie lad stuff, god, it can be a meat fest,” she laughs. “I love the lads, don’t get me wrong. But having girls on the front row of those shows, getting down early to see me and dance along with their mates, it’s a really amazing feeling.”

Now, Combe appears ready to make her own lane with Black Is the New Gold. “I did not have any confidence as a young black woman. I played footy and hung around with the lads; I was almost shunned for not being this typical vision of femininity,” she says of the release. “But I think it’s so important to show young women — young people in general — that anything is achievable. I am Scottish, I am female, I am mixed race. And I’ll hand you your ARSE with these tunes.”

Brooke Combe – Black Is the New Gold:

1. ‘Are You with Me?’
2. ‘A-Game’
3. ‘Talkin’ Bout Heartaches’
4. ‘Black Is the New Gold’
5. ‘Why’d You Say You Love Me?’
6. ‘Miss Me Now’
7. ‘Impress You’
8. ‘Over You’