Music Business Worldwide partner Instrumental is using data science and streaming numbers to track the hottest independent talent worldwide. In a time of remote work and remote scouting, MBW has chosen to highlight five of the most exciting independent artists in the world each week. This time week, Hot Press' Hot for 2020 pick Malaki has been recognised for his critically-acclaimed live performances and successful streaming numbers.

The Dublin-based hip hop artist hit the ground running with his debut spoken word epic Call Us By Our Names last year and has only gone upwards from there. He released a single titled 'Fair Play' with Lucy McWilliams on April 17, which was recognised as a 'hot' single on Instrumental's platform just a week later. Hot Press picked up on the hype in January, when Malaki was included as one of our 'Hot for 2020' acts.

Malaki is joined by Nina Cobham from the UK and Elliana, Ella Jane and Mazie from the US.

Over the last three years, Instrumental has developed a ‘hot score’ that flags artists daily that are seeing exceptional performance across a range of key metrics. The algorithm helps flag some of the hottest talent before the rest of the world does, tipping acts like Surfaces, Tones and I, Lil Tecca and Anson Seabra months before they went mainstream.

Listen to 'Fair Play' below.