There is something so enticing about an inner circle. Though it may not seem that interesting on the outside, there is something to say about the stories that come out of it. Tana’s new track Hollywood Problems highlight the dynamics between a lost girl and the people around her. The magnetism of a damaged girl, someone who has it all but yearns for something real. Tana is being drawn into her life and watching as the mask slips off. This LA girl keeps a brave face but Tana knows the truth. The fake smiles and the Instagram post all give the façade of a lifestyle many dreams of. But she's begging to be truly heard. She has Hollywood Problems and that's something only she can solve. The song begins with muted drumbeats and melodic hums accompanied by Tana's velvety vocals. She invites the audience into her story with the opening lyrics, “I met a girl last week she was evergreen// she had big brown eyes and lips so sweet” The use of her lyrics to create a sort of cinematic storyline immediately transports the listener into the world she is building. Her description of this girl sounds so perfect you begin to sympathize with Tana and want to hear more. Tana’s pen never fails to evoke vivid images in the listener's mind. As the instrumental begins to climb and the energy increases. The lyrics and bolstering instrumental place the song into perspective. The climactic chorus lets us know the type of girl Tana is describing. Suddenly, we realize who this mysterious LA Girl is and what she wants. Falling for someone toxic yet mysteriously glamorous is so intoxicating she can't help but stay around. And the LA Girl can't help her Hollywood Problems. Tana is an up-and-coming artist with insane amounts of talent. Her voice and production combo is never a disappointment. Her roots are diverse which creates interesting and powerful art. Coming from an Italian-Nigerian Home and moving to London is one of the many things that influence Tana to be the artist she is today. Hollywood Problems is just the first song to be released this year and certainly an incredible way to come into 2023. Written By: Kaiana Lee FOLLOW TANA:

Have you felt alone in the world and think that no one understands you? I know I definitely have. I constantly try to remind myself that I’m not alone, but I have those days when I do. “If Only You’d Love Yourself” by Dustin Paul has a beautiful, constant reminder to love and care for yourself. If you don’t love yourself first, who will? How can you be able to love someone else before loving your own body, mind, and soul? This song holds a powerful message for self-love and not giving up. It’s hard to do that sometimes, but that’s why Paul made this song for those who struggle with that. The song starts off with beautiful and gentle piano music until the twelfth second mark before the first lyrics come in, “Life is simple / That’s what they say;” It was a great start to the song because of how true it is. The lyrics in the beginning already told us this song was going to be emotional and raw. The lyrics hold true meaning and are relatable to a lot of people. The song title, “If Only You’d Love Yourself” is constantly sang after the first and second verse which flows perfectly after the powerful and motivational lyrics of self-love and self-improvement. The last clear lyrics “Won’t you love yourself” before the echoed ad libs and “yeah” was the perfect touch to end it. It’s uplifting and inspiring for the listeners like myself to feel motivation through the song. From singing in studios and live audiences since the age of 14 and prior from being a solo artist, Dustin Paul used to be the front man of a band that attracted a lot of views. He began writing and collaborating with other artists as a soloist. Paul, Diego Miranda, and the Le Twin’s collaborative song “Believe in Love” that came out in 2019 reached over a million streams on YouTube after a week of release. His song with Michael Teixeira called, “I Keep Coming” charted top 10 on iTunes and Spotify and won an International Portuguese Music Award. Since then, Paul has won many awards with other artists. Now, he is about to release solo EPs and collaborate with other DJ artists. Written By Lyndsey Cheng FOLLOW DUSTIN PAUL:

“Orange Afternoon” by The Astronomers has a nostalgic feel to it. The song gives us a gentle and warm reminder to enjoy the life and moment we are in right now. There is a sense of not wanting to miss the moment because it’s beautiful as it is. Living in the present time and not focusing on what’s to come next because we should learn how to embrace our current state. “Orange Afternoon” is one of those songs that bring listeners in to encourage them to enjoy every little second we have before moving forward and enjoying the next. Life can be stressful but slowing down and enjoying it will make it calm and relaxing. There are beautiful guitar strums in the beginning before the lyrics come in on the eleventh second mark. There are claps that accompany the lyrics and guitar. The claps really add into the rhythm and feel-good vibe of the soundscape. The unique addition of bells make you want to move your body and nod your head with their catchy groove. The lyrics are nostalgic and simple, but they hold so much meaning. They tell us to live in the moment and with the next day coming, there will be new, exciting things to look forward to. The lyrics, “Lot of people want this life” show that many people may admire the life you have, but they may not realize the struggles that comes with it as well. The Astronomers is an indie-alto pop duo that consists of the members Ben Baker and Michael Stensland who are from Fond du Lac. They recently signed with Paladin Booking agency and have played at many festival shows. Their lead single, “Overthinking” and EP “Guess It’s Just Life” played on Wisconsin’s radio and reached #1 on the top nine. The duo released their debut album back in 2022 called The Occasion , with their song “Bad Type” that has charted on WIXX 101.1. They performed at venues, Titletown Green Bay and The Terrace in Madison that had over 500 people that came. At the start of the new year 2023, The Astronomers went on a Headline Tour over the Midwest. Written By Lyndsey Cheng FOLLOW THE ASTRONOMERS:

Emei’s “Scatterbrain” is what happens when we grab a pen and let all of our intrusive thoughts out on paper. This high-energy track is a relatable anthem for anyone who might not know exactly where their life is heading. Being a scatterbrain can have a negative connotation, but why should it? Having a one-track mind can be boring, and having a plethora of thoughts with no rhyme or reason is what makes life exciting. No one knows what they’re supposed to be doing at all times in life, but that’s when the magic happens. The best journeys begin when we’re at our most lost. It’s easy to be hard on yourself and let the negative thoughts consume you, but having a tornado in your mind means you’ve lived a lot of life, and you’ve learned a lot of lessons; lessons people go their whole lives without learning. When you meet someone who makes your brain pause and helps you catch your breath for even a second, they can become like a drug. They become synonymous with hope for a better life. It’s the same feeling as when you’re driving through a downpour and go under a tunnel; for a moment it’s quiet; for a moment you’re free. “Scatterbrain” is an upbeat, vivacious track with colorful lyrics. The instrumentals perfectly match what it's like going on in a highly-active mind. You simply can’t help but get up, move your body, and escape for a few minutes. Emei gives us scatterbrains a temporary reprieve where all we are thinking is when we can hear this song again. Emei overlays deep, striking lyrics over a catchy beat that creates the ultimate alt-pop track. Her quick wit and clever intellect becomes abundantly clear with lyrics like, “Sleepin’ in my head like a Motel 6. Hold it all together with a little duct tape.” This is a song for any occasion, whether you need to get up and dance, or roll the windows down, take the long way home, and play this over and over. Emei is an incredible singer/songwriter who has rapidly built up an army of fans over the past year. She lets the audience get a look inside her head, her world, and she creates hyper-relatable songs for young adults. Emei initially developed a knack for performing from her time competing on Chinese Idol. After coming in third place, Emei began writing and releasing her own music. Her debut single, “Late to the Party”, garnered over 6 million streams and 10 million views on TikTok and Instagram. After the overnight success of her debut EP, End of an Era, we are eagerly waiting for her sophomore EP, and “Scatterbrain” is the perfect taste on what’s to come in this breakout year for Emei. Written By Grace Chapman FOLLOW EMEI:

“Wild” by Hannah Dorman is a refreshing and invigorating indie-pop track that leaves you feeling energized and empowered, attracting listeners from the moment it begins with a vibrant and catchy melody that sets the mood for the entire track. After a 6-month break from releasing her debut EP, '222', her first single of 2023 starts off with a bang. Released just in time for Valentine’s Day, “Wild” inspires listeners to make that move they weren’t sure about, to take their chances and just go wild. Her effortless ease, sultry coaxations, and confident attitude inspires listeners to throw away all convictions and just go for it. Dorman’s vocals are the standout feature of the song, effortlessly moving between gentle to impassioned delivery during the chorus. Her voice effortlessly shifts between different emotional registers, displaying her skilled techniques to convey a range of emotions within a single song. The song’s polished sound is expertly crafted to highlight the strengths of the music and vocals, with different elements blending together seamlessly, creating a cohesive and dynamic soundscape that’s both immersive and engaging. Hannah Dorman is a Surrey-based pop-rock singer-songwriter, performing and releasing music for over ten years. Her loyal fanbase is only growing faster and faster as she’s broken into the mainstream, hitting 350K followers of TikTok, over 1 million plays of Spotify, and over 3 million views on YouTube. Influenced by the likes of KT Tunstall, Anastasia, and Shania Twain, Dorman’s inspiration and eclectic style only serve to cement herself into her music. “Wild” is an excellent example of what indie-pop can be when done right - with a catchy melody, powerful vocals, and fun lyrics, Dorman reminds us to embrace our wild side. Written By Megan Cao FOLLOW HANNAH:

“Dreamer” by SiDizen King and Brandyn Burnette is a special song created for those who have big dreams and goals. “Dreamer” has a motivational message and that even though times may get hard, you will be able to overcome it with obstacles but knowing in the end, it’ll all be worth it. This encouraging song is emotional that bring tears to my eyes because it shows that everyone goes through tough situations, and that it's okay. The lyrical meaning behind the song is beautiful and especially during Black History month, it’s even more meaningful. It makes me remember that although a friend or family member may have a smile on their face, that smile might also be hurting. If you ever feel alone or vulnerable, play this song to help the motivation and inspiration flow through. But remember…that you’re not actually alone in the world. Click here to listen to "Dreamer"! In the beginning lyrics, “The closer I get, the more I can taste it / written in stone, can’t nobody break it” already itself is a strong message just from the start. The first couple of lines tells us that this song is going to be emotionally motivating. The next couple of lines say, “Whatever might come, I’ll be ready to face it”. This is extremely inspiring and a motto for a lot of people. There is gentle piano music that plays during those first few lines which is calming and anticipates the listener for the rap verses. King’s rap verses are important to listen to and understand because there is pain and power that he expresses through his lyrics. The music itself has a great melody that matches the emotion of the lyrics. There are sounds that seems to be violin strums during King’s raps which creates a unique and different sound. Burnette ends the song with “…dreamer just like you” that shows that everyone has their own dreams and goals to obtain. SiDizen King is an LA-based musician who creates rap music and hip-pop. He started on Soundcloud and now has over 5k followers. He has multiple songs on Hype Machine’s “Most Popular Songs on Blogs,” he’s landed on Spotify’s “U.S. Viral 50” chart, and many more achievements. His music is inspiring and for “Dreamer,” the reason him and Burnette wrote it was to inspire people to find their own path to their dreams. Brandyn Burnette is an independent artist since 2015. He has written songs for the Backstreet Boys, Afrojack, Keith Urban, and Rich the Kid. Through writing songs for other artists, he has been writing his own album that is yet to debut. Burnette has plans to release his own singles and is now currently managed by Zac Cohen at Scooter Braun’s mgmt. company SB Projects. King and Burnette are set to go on tour on March 23rd, 2023, in Venice, CA. Written By Lyndsey Cheng FOLLOW SiDizen King: FOLLOW Brandyn Burnette:

In "Keep Your Love" by Heartbreak Alumni, singer "Zay" Elizade hears rumors that his girlfriend is seeing someone else. As a result, he begins putting pieces together, like his partner receiving text "through the night" to confirm she's cheating. While he's upset with her deceitful behavior, Zay blames himself for putting all his energy towards her, knowing he has plenty of options. And while he hoped to give the relationship with his girlfriend a second chance, he couldn't help but feel changed by the reality of their situation. Therefore, "Keep Your Love" is Zay's way of calling it quits. Although making the decision isn't easy, he's confident she'll resonate with his pain in seeing him gone. And while building a new relationship with a different partner may take time, Zay doesn't mind ditching a love that's not good for him in search of one that's reciprocated. "Keep Your Love" by Heartbreak Alumni is an average lengthed song, spanning two minutes and fifty-eight seconds. The intro is short and to the point, with an acoustic guitar and pad fading into the first verse. Once the first verse begins, the guitar work becomes more complex and gains the support of Zay's vocals and a few percussion elements. As the song continues, listeners discover bass and additional synth sounds that provide energy to the arrangement. Aside from the production and vocal talent of Zay and Eli, the mix and master is polished and aesthetically pleasing to the ear. The vocals are crisp, reverb tails are hard to miss, the instruments are well-balanced, and each section has a sonic purpose. Overall, there's no doubt from "Keep Your Love" that Heartbreak Alumni are focused on their craft, and their taste will continue leading them in the right direction musically. Heartbreak Alumni is a musical duo based in California. The group includes singer "Zay" Elizade and producer Eli "The Kid" Valencia. Since 2020, Heartbreak Alumni has released seven singles through digital streaming services, with their most successful song being "No Looking Back (Remix)." On Spotify alone, the duo has amassed close to 16,600 monthly listeners, with consistent streaming numbers on most of their discography. In October of 2022, their most recent single, "Keep Your Love," was released on streaming platforms, followed by a remixed version later the same year. Despite not releasing music since the single, Heartbreak Alumni continues to produce content on their social media pages to keep their audience engaged. Hopefully, the choreography and beat-making presented in their Instagram videos are a reflection of live performances soon to come. Written By Jeffrey Ade FOLLOW HEARTBREAK ALUMNI:

Earlier this year, Ellie Burke's new single caused a solar eclipse as “The Moon” brought the artist into full view. The song expresses a desire to escape, to take a moment away from the chaos of life on Earth and rest on the moon. Though the song means to indulge in loneliness and feeling misunderstood, Burke’s relatability makes it do quite the opposite. It is near impossible to feel misunderstood with her perfect description of those feelings. “The Moon” offers not only the words for those who seek the peace the artist does, but also the solution to their unrest. Its melodic, soothing sound paired with those relatable words creates a feeling of tranquility. If you’re looking to escape, “The Moon” is the perfect place to go. “The Moon” starts with a slow strumming of guitar that makes the listener feel as if they’re listening to one of Burke’s live performances. There are no overwhelming sound effects or rushed lyrics at the start, rather, a calming introduction which sets the tone for the rest of the song. Ellie’s deeply emotional voice then begins with a statement of pure honesty. “I wanna go to the moon” she says. She claims this as if it is her first time admitting it aloud. As she continues, the listener can begin to understand how she came to this conclusion, and why she doubts herself on it. Behind her vocals, a repeating chord sounds as if it is floating further and further away, reflecting the distance Burke seems to long for. Even as other instruments join the melody, it never breaches the calmness she’s sought to create. Instead, the light percussion and guitar combine to create a song reminiscent of a rainstorm. A million moving parts but only one soft melody with one strong voice. Ellie Burke was born in Liverpool, home to a family supportive of her career and a brother who was a musician himself. From an early age, Burke immersed herself in the culture of the music industry. The sound of guitar was a familiar one in her household, so much so the artist says she doesn’t even remember learning how to play, it was always in her hands. Going from a street performer to producing and uploading her own music to SoundCloud, she has been a constant voice in the background of pop. She wants to go further than the moon, to the stars, and she is on her way. Now with her single available on Spotify and a paired music video on YouTube, she has gained hundreds of views and listens in under a month. Ellie often appears in public spaces such as open mics and coffee houses, so as a confident live performer, she wishes to travel and tour beyond her home city. As much as I hope to see her do so, now that she is a professionally produced artist there’s no need to wait. Go stream “The Moon” and join her before she takes off. Written By Hailey Schap FOLLOW ELLIE:

Breakups are hard, even mutual ones like Nicolette’s. “ Arrived ” tells the story about the final moments of a breakup where she reminisces on the memories they’ve made together and going back on forth on if she wants it to come to an end or not. However, she later comes to the conclusion that this is what the both of them want, even though it stings. Her thought process, the back and forth, and the reminiscing are all taken place during the car ride. The title of the song is used as her way of saying that she has arrived at her destination, and so has the relationship. It has come to an end. Taking a peak at the GPS, Nicolette notices that there are 5 more minutes until she’s dropped off, but also until they stop speaking and seeing each other again. She says, “ Is that all that's left of our forever? What if you don’t drive me home? Can we do just one more block? I don’t want this ride to ever end .” We hear a slow piano and a slow beat. This is used to show her being emotional and sad over the thought of a breakup. She wants time to slow down a bit, so that they have more time together, so the piano is used to demonstrate this. We see that she’s taking it back and no longer wants to break up, so she suggests to continue driving. To continue the ride is to continue the relationship. If the car stops and she leaves, so does the relationship. To continue driving is also her way of saying that they get to keep doing the things they used to do when they were happy, such as “ Watch[ing] the stars from on top of the roof just like we used to do, when we were still in love .” At this point, we hear the beat speed up and a violin come in. However, she then throws us in for a loop and says, “ But love is not enough, so take me home .” This felt as if the song was going to give us a happy ending, but now we can see that she has finally made up her mind, and no longer wants the ride to drag on. This may have been a hint that something was missing during their time together. She just wants to get to her destination and end the relationship. When she realizes this, the slow piano and slow beat makes a return, and her voice gets quieter until the end of the song. Nicolette is an indie-pop artist that was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, but had recently moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. According to her Spotify page, she has 240 monthly listeners and her most popular song is “ Robotic ” with over 11,000 plays. In an Instagram post about filming her journey and accomplishments as an artist, she shares, “ I have dreamt of being a singer, writing my own songs, performing, and touring since I could start singing .” I’m very excited to see what else Nicolette has up her sleeve and to see her grow as an artist! Check out Nicolette’s new single, “Arrived” , out now on streaming platforms! Written By Sneet Efrem FOLLOW NICOLETTE:

Have you ever found yourself reminiscing on an old love? “how it started” by AIYANA is one of those songs that is nostalgic about when you first meet a loved one. I can picture a montage of two lovebirds meeting for the first time and enjoying their time together before they ended their relationship. The song is bittersweet about missing a loved one but accepting the fact that the relationship is now over. The song and lyrics are relatable for people who have been through a similar situation. The melody has a good balance between it being gentle and upbeat. The ad libs were also a great touch to end the song. AIYANA says she hasn’t had much luck with relationships but with the help of her friends, she was able to come up with the lyrics. The vocals are prominent and clear which creates an addicting sound. The lyrics have great imagery which makes the listener imaginative when listening. The beginning of the song started with AIYANA’s bright vocals with gentle piano until the twenty second mark where it starts to pick up. The second verse of the song talks about the reminiscent of the times they enjoyed which makes them sad. The title, “how it started” is used regularly in the song to remind how the relationship was when it was new, but without necessarily wanting that relationship back. AIYANA shows that it’s okay to think about how the relationship started and how good it was; the memories were a reflection of the past. Towards the end of the song, it starts to slow down with the gentle music from how it was in the beginning of the song. AIYANA is an electronic-pop artist based in Sussex, UK. She describes her lyricism as honest and spent her early years in Southwest of France where she was surrounded by classical music throughout her home. Her debut single "all my friends" was released in 2022, and she has released three other singles since then, including "how it started." AIYANA also has an upcoming and anticipated EP titled "Friends Forever". Her aesthetic is unique, and she has eye catching visuals on her lyric videos of her singles. Her lyrics are meaningful, and she has a way with expressing herself through her music. She has a lot coming for 2023 that you definitely don't want to miss. Written By Lyndsey Cheng FOLLOW AIYANA:

In our modern society, physical appearance and outside opinion have become so prominent in everyday life, especially with the advent of social media. This technological age is a breeding ground for insecurity, comparison and the constant desire for idealized perfection. ADUDA confronts this growing issue in her new single, “Makeup Bag”. The pop song communicates empowerment to listeners with heartfelt lyrics that inspire confidence, self-love and embracing one’s inner beauty. Nevertheless, ADUDA relates to audiences, relaying the continual strength it takes to realistically maintain self-acceptance. For instance, the verse “Being strong never felt so tiring, incapable to avoid the fighting” captures the perseverance and work it takes to resist self-doubt and the urge to compare oneself to others, especially celebrities or models. ADUDA’s compelling lyricism and angelic vocals allow “Makeup Bag” to thrive as an enchanting and motivational piece of art. “Makeup Bag” begins with the inclusion of underlaying, echoing vocalizations, paired with whimsical synth noise. A simple drum beat adds the perfect dazzle of percussion to the single, giving it that head-bopping rhythm. ADUDA’s beautiful Portuguese accent and subtle rasp add a unique twist to her stunning voice. She displays her talent for singing by hitting powerful high notes, including ethereal vocal runs and utilizing her higher register to beautifully harmonize with herself. The song’s inspiring chorus showcases strong vocals and a faster paced melody. From a technical and lyrical standpoint, ADUDA’s hit single, “Makeup Bag” sets the bar high for what I hope is a long-standing, successful musical career. Along with her growing fanbase, I can’t wait to see what comes next for this standout artist. ADUDA is an emerging Brazilian Pop artist, aiming to take the 2023 music scene by storm. Her debut single, “Makeup Bag” has already achieved mass succuss with over 20k streams on Spotify alone. “Makeup Bag” has reached a wide variety of audiences internationally, with some ADUDA’s biggest fanbases emerging in Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and Vienna. In fact, her song is featured on multiple highly followed, German-curated Spotify playlists such as, Putzen Aufräumen and Frühstuck. The singer-songwriter's love for music creation and singing spurred from her immense listening to international pop, which enabled her to learn the English language and melody structurization. Some of her biggest inspiration is drawn from Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Charlie Puth, Khalid and Tove Lo. ADUDA’s musical mission is to empower her listeners with messages of self-confidence and determination. “Makeup Bag” has earned high praise from various music review platforms such as, WONDERLAND Magazine, EARMILK, Music Crown, VENTS Magazine and EX Independence. With such success after her first release, it’s safe to say that ADUDA is a rising pop artist to watch as her music career grows. Written By Julia Hooper FOLLOW ADUDA:

In her latest single, "Crash," Cristina Hart has hit rock bottom and is assessing the support group around her. While her first thought is to communicate openly with close friends, she fears being bothersome. Perhaps this assumption comes from reaching out for their support plenty of times before. However, having one person in mind she expected to help keep her from reaching a low point, Hart is disappointed to realize that person is useless. Understanding the reality of this situation becomes difficult for her to process. And as a result, Hart finds methods of numbing the pain as much as possible. Expected to appear in her upcoming project, Online Therapy , "Crash" is an honest and vulnerable conversation that may be the first step to proper healing. "Crash" by Cristina Hart is short in length, spanning two minutes and forty-one seconds long. As a reflection of its title, the track begins with the sounds of a car signal before a quick melodic transition into the first verse. Driving the song are electric guitars that pulse and change form from one section to another. However, added to that are gritty, massive-sounding drums that change the song's energy drastically. Despite the presence of the instrumentation, the singer's vocals remain audible and in the forefront. And listening to her for the first time, the accurate pitches, vocal inflections, and pronunciations prove her maturity as a singer and recording artist. Not to mention the concise arrangement, which reflects the effort of the production team to elevate an artist who is already a strong talent. Cristina Hart is a singer-songwriter based in London, UK. Her musical influences include artists such as Alessia Cara, Dua Lipa, and Taylor Swift. Hart began releasing music on streaming services with her debut single, “I’m a Mess,” in 2020, which received recognition on platforms like Capital FM, BBC Intro in Essex, and more. The single later appeared on her project, Sell a Dream , several months after, with three other songs, “Bad Girlfriend,” “Vanilla,” and “Will You.” Within three years, Hart has amassed close to 15,500 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, due in part to the success of her previous single, “Never Be Her,” at 126,465 streams. Despite taking a hiatus after such a milestone, “Crash” is her 2023 reintroduction, with intentions of building hype for her upcoming project, Online Therapy . And considering the transparency of her latest single, Hart is not holding back from sharing her truths with the world through her music. Written By Jeffrey Ade FOLLOW CRISTINA HART: