Faith Louise's fresh new track "Promise" sets the scene amongst the flashing colored lights in a converted warehouse club amongst the dinner-plate-pupils of angsty, sweat-drenched youth. The crowd, a collective hellbent on exercising emotional demons, pulses on the beat's command. It's too loud to talk to your neighbor but a wry smile is all the language necessary in the short lull before the dance anthem crashes back into the crowd, transporting you back inside the beat. Deep, distorted vocals pull you into the song's opening alongside the underpinning synth-heavy bassline that forms the track's club-banger framework. Faith wastes no time introducing direct, poignant lyricism which she delivers equally well in the song's subtle troughs as she does in the visceral peaks. Clean-cut percussion loops both balance and frame the thick, treacle-textured bass, allowing it to proudly assume center stage in this fervor-packed performance. Based in the UK, Faith Louise is a young musician making waves in the industry with her fresh blend of pop and club music that has seen her garner attention and acclaim from BBC Introducing, MSN Entertainment, and BBC Radio Essex as she has gained a sturdy following across YouTube and streaming platforms and most recently, Faith headlined the Camden Assembly. Reportedly fuelled almost exclusively by junk food and tea, Faith can get her calories from wherever as long as she keeps producing tracks like this one. Written By George McSherry FOLLOW FAITH:

“Labels” is a soulful ballad about letting things exist as they are; sometimes, defining feelings only seems to cheapen the passion and emotion behind it. You don’t always need a label to define every stage in a relationship; the most important thing to know in a relationship is that you like them, and they like you. A relationship is all about being in the moment, and endlessly trying to put words to feelings takes away from the time you could be spending present with them. Megzz’s soft and melancholic voice adds to the tastefulness of the track, imploring you to listen and think about the labels you’ve plastered on in your life; are these labels really needed? Do they add anything, do they change anything, are they hindering you? The minimalistic melody suddenly transfers into a pop-rock medley to close out the song, adding much more texture and depth to the structure of the track. Megzz is an independent artist from the UK whose work centers around R&B, pop, and Neo-soul. A believer of music acting as therapy not only for herself but also for her audience, Megzz’s songs touch on topics that empower others, promote self-love, and speak out against mental health. Releasing a handful of singles through the last couple of years, Megzz’s next project is sure to be a climax of her quiet but strong support behind her music. Written By Megan Cao FOLLOW MEGZZ:

The action of cutting someone negative out of your life feels freeing, its like the weight of the world has be taken off your shoulders. Sure, sometimes doing this is painful on both ends, but in Betty Reed's new track "Without You," Reed feels liberated by the feeling. Reed is breaking free from someone who tried to make her hate herself, and now she is leaving them in the past. She is letting down her hair, and letting her wild side free. The track instantly needs to be blasted out your speakers, while you are flying down the road. The track features an instrumental that is very heavily influenced by pop-punk. Instruments like guitars, and drums push the track. Riffs, and pickups are used to make the track have some texture that sounds fuzzy. Reed's vocals are a beautiful alto, with an almost raspy quality that makes it stand out against the heavy beat. The lyrics delve into the topic of liberation from letting someone toxic go. It starts off with the negative individual telling Reed she'll never go far without them, "You said I'd never make it on my own." Reed doesn't let this person drag her down with their other negative comments, "Booked my one way ticket to my dream // You said I'd always be obsolete." Reed roars into the chorus that feels like flying down the freeway. She has no cares, she loves herself, and is leaving this person in the rearview, "Without you // My heart won't break from the shame you put me through // Without you // Got a smile on my face, got away with better days // Without you // I embrace my flaws, love me, you can't take that away // Without you // I'm fine, I'm great, I'm good // Baby without you." Betty Reed is a multi-genre bending artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. "Without You," is her first single release of 2022. It follows her debut EP, Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned which dropped last year featuring the breakout track "Drunk on You." Reed is a force to be reckoned with. Her music spans genres including country, EDM, to most recently pop-punk. Reed is an artist that is a master at her craft, and she has proved she can take on any genre she wants. The world is her oyster, and we can't wait to see what she does next! Written By Kyle Stiver FOLLOW BETTY REED:

If you needed a new song to listen to at 3 AM, while you reminisce over past or current relationships, "143," by Seiichi should definitely be added to that playlist. Seiichi tugs at the strings of the listeners' heart with his beautiful guitar acoustic, along with his well balanced melodies and vocals. Seiichi's new song, "143," is well balanced with a calm and rich guitar, accompanying his beautiful voice and lyrics. The phrase "143" is used as cheesy abbreviation for "I Love You," giving the listener the idea, that this song is about some sort of love interest towards a significant other, a family member, or maybe a friend. The soft and slow verse-work displays a somber tone, capturing all the past memories that was shared with that love interest but when the listener reaches the chorus it provides a contrast where Seiichi speeds up the tempo and sings more emotionally towards that special person. Seiichi is a multi-faceted Japanese-American, singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer hailing from Seattle. Beginning his music career in just 2020, Seiichi became well known and respected for his poignant lyricism and soundscapes. Seiichi has performed at many of Seattle's top venues and is slated to perform at the city's premier music festival, Capital Hill Block Party, in Summer 2022, so be sure to follow his socials down below to keep updated on his journey! Written By Troy Sica FOLLOW SEIICHI:

There's an ease in our childhoods--when we're affronted with movies and media, seeing the beautiful things that are possible and not having to worry about the responsibilities that life throws at us as we grow up. Life isn't taken seriously in childhood--it's not supposed to be. We sometimes go back to those moments in adulthood when we finally get a little break. We like to live with our heads in the clouds and stars in our eyes. In those effortless moments, we feel free, like the wind is sweeping us off our feet without the worries on our shoulders. With "eternal sunshine" by your favorite plant, we can see how she details these joyous moments of peace and turns them into a pop melody that we can't help but get stuck inside our heads. If you're looking for a pop song with that 00's nostalgia, you've come to the right place. "eternal sunshine" by your favorite plant gives exactly that vibe with this warm and welcoming melody and lighthearted lyrics. She sings the words, "I still want you" repeatedly, leaving this intensity between the meaning, making us crave the times when life was a little more fun. The track starts with this guitar riff that surprises you, followed by her lovely voice that gently glides through your ears letting you fall deeper into the melody. The song pairs her vocals with this floaty feeling and leaves listeners swaying from side to side as they hear it. It's the perfect combination of comfort and nostalgia, all wrapped up in a sweet pop package-- what more could you want? your favorite plant, otherwise known as Nashville-based Rachel Swanson, is a singer/songwriter who explores the ideas of anxiety, nostalgia, and loneliness with her gentle vocals and pop melodies with a garage rock influence. She aims to remove the shame that lives around us, taking secrets out of the shadows with a vulnerable message and finding people to share these experiences with. She's self-made, making her melodies, lyrics, and even graphics for her releases. She has a special small-town vibe (probably because of her small-town hometown background) and shows her place as a comfort artist with this newest track, "eternal sunshine". I highly recommend checking her content on TikTok and her music on Spotify because I think you'll find her pretty neat. Written by Jane Katryn FOLLOW YOUR FAVORITE PLANT:

Some people have this innate need to make others feel okay. We stretch ourselves to their whim, make ourselves available, and agree to things even if we have to make personal sacrifices to make it happen. It's toxic to ourselves to put them before us, but it gets to be something ingrained in our responses-- always to say yes. Mykyl collaborates with Todd Trần and brings us a track for the people-pleasers. It's titled "Never Say No"-- a pop-punk track with a throwback feel about telling us that we're not alone in being afraid to tell someone no. "Never Say No" is catchy, filled with guitars, a catchy sound, and a modern production that somehow still makes us feel a little nostalgic with its melody. Mykyl and Todd Trần bring us the lyric, "Don't want to be a yes man/bored of bluffing, wanna/show my whole hand" which gives us the meaning of the song as a whole--that we're tired of always agreeing to other people's asks and that we want to be honest with ourselves and finally tell others no. They continue by saying, "The way I let you use me got me so mad" because we don't want to make anyone sad as people-pleasers. Still, when we constantly agree with everything, we get angry with ourselves for putting us in that situation in the first place. But as "Never Say No" aims to show that we're not the only one who thinks this way, maybe the common feeling will bring us a little motivation to stand for ourselves more. Mykyl is a singer/songwriter and producer who started music during the pandemic in 2020. For "Never Say No" Mykyl partnered with Todd Trần, a musician, composer, and producer who has worked with over 100 recording artists in their journey of cultivating their sound. The two produced this track together and captivated fans using its intriguing vibe and relatable lyrics. Mykyl has more stunning tracks, some of which can be seen on his most recent EP, "hopeisnowhere" and we can see more of Trần through his Spotify, where he has playlists of his own music and songs he's helped produce. Written by Jane Katryn FOLLOW MYKYL: FOLLOW TODD TRẨN:

Hailing from Chardon, Ohio, Cassidy King has made a name for herself through her outspoken social media and by having more than enough musical talent to back it up. King has spoken openly about how her conservative, religious upbringing in the midwest caused her to struggle to recognize and accept her sexuality. After dealing with her own internalized homophobia as well as that of her community, however, King has come out stronger on the other side. Now an open and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, King is using her music and her internet presence to give her fans the sense of acceptance and community that she longed for in her childhood. Such was the case for 2020’s “Safe Spaces,” in which King mournfully endures the girl she loves treating her like a shameful secret, and such is the case for 2021’s “Under Covers.” Click here to listen to Under Covers! “Under Covers” presents itself very much like a pop song. The catchy melodies, the infectious hook and moving drums all work wonders to make the song an earworm. Underneath the surface however, the song draws upon much deeper pools of influence. The subtle guitar scratch and riffs paired with the chugging rhythm guitar evokes notes of both funk and rock. The driving four-on-the-floor kick drum paired with the wavy synths make parts of the song almost feel like techno. All considered, the melting-pot of various influences works incredibly well, giving the song a powerful sense of movement from one section to the next. King wrote “Under Covers” as a much needed message to her younger self: there is nothing wrong with being who you are, and that nothing but pain can come from hiding from your identity. She lambasts the external forces that kept her from feeling comfortable in her own skin, preaching love and yet disparaging her love as a sin. And yet, despite the pain that has undeniably inspired this song, King doesn’t speak from a place of anger, rather from one of hope for the future. Despite, or perhaps because of, her upbringing, King acknowledges that a lack of empathy and understanding is more to blame for these antiquated views than outright evil or hatred. “Why do they hate the way I look in your eyes? If they saw with mine They would say I’m sorry, because they were what was wrong with me They wouldn’t try to change who I am They would change the way they see us” King’s empathy here should not, however, be mistaken for her being passive or apologetic. She refuses to change or hide who she is because she knows that her identity isn’t, and never has been, the problem. This is the message she wishes she could relay to her younger self. Since that isn’t possible, Cassidy King is making it available to all those in need of guidance in accepting who they are. Written By Liam Dun FOLLOW CASSIDY:

I'm not too sure where I go when I hear this song but it's futuristically clean and I have a citrusy cocktail in hand... it kinda feels like the futuristic art deco landscape in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange except colorful and enticing rather than grey and threatening. Asha Gold has added to her growing repertoire of infectious, electro-pop R&B with this new single "Up To Me" which details the complex series of thoughts and emotions we have to reconcile when we start to fall for someone. Staccato vocals intertwine with bolstered bass and bubbling electronic production to form the track's upbeat R&B framework around which Asha and her production collaborators have weaved silky-smooth melody and rhythm that both bounces and flows seamlessly. Stacks of layers provide the song with a palpable richness and depth, complimenting the sincerity and sensuality and piquing comparisons to the works of Jorja Smith; Asha floats her voice through the bars with ease, caressing and comforting against the backdrop of production curated to have toes tapping and heads bopping before the song ties itself off. Asha Gold, fresh off of her performance at Glastonbury is a London-based gem of an R&B artist who blends pop melodies into her craft. The end result is refreshing and intimate tracks that manage to be both approachable and captivating, with varied, maximalist production catchy enough to reel you in and rich enough to have you stay for more. In her young career, Asha Gold has received notable acclaim from Rolling Stone, BBC Radio 1, The Line of Best Fit, and Colors (to name a few), establishing her as one of the brightest budding stars in the R&B game right now. Written By George McSherry FOLLOW ASHA:

New indie-daydream fuel has breached the music world; "Shymode" is the fresh debut single by Lilla Shy that packs all of the angsty energy of a sepia-filtered coming-of-age movie into just over three minutes. The raw, cinematic piece, rife with relatable imagery of lacking confidence and self-esteem, ironically requires marked bravery to share with the world. The track features the whimsical pairing of a vibrant pop/rock framework and raw, confessional lyricism that oozes relatability. The juxtaposition of the lyricism's melancholic honesty and the upbeat instrumentals mirrors Lilla's efforts to reconcile her shy and awkward disposition with her love for an industry that rewards glamor and flair. Shymode's production is packed to the brim, combining acoustic and electronic instrumentation to pour rhythm and melody into every little nook and cranny. Oscillating stereo effects, layered vocals, and ambient sounds of an unsettling crowd make way at the song's end for Lilla to reiterate her somber message once more. Lilla Shy is an Italian-born, London-based musician who attributes her stage name to a blanket she had since birth that lent her comfort in times of social anxiety. A self-described "introverted attention seeker", Lilla yearns to share the melodic intimacies that shape her world with undulant crowds but is also unnerved by the idea of ordering food on the phone. Taking her primary inspiration from songwriter Amy Allen , Lilla hopes to continue to fine-tune her craft with a dream of performing to a sell-out crowd in her hometown of Rome. Written By George McSherry FOLLOW LILLA:

Connection is beautiful. We can see how hundreds of people contribute to making something whole every moment. Even in our rooms, we can see each piece of furniture or technology, print and poster, and how every flower bouquet or plant pot on our windowsill makes the space brighter. Every single thing is the work of someone who cares to bring a little more dynamic to our day. We can see this within "The Florist" by Abby Sage, as the track details how a florist brings beauty into people's lives with flowers through this soulful indie mood. This track, "The Florist" is soulful and indie--it's a flowy tune that makes you feel light with her intentionally impassive vocals and gentle melody. Sage sings, "Call the florist up to make something pretty of it". The lyric shows the narrative of a florist making the old and faded rooms into something of wonder with the addition of flowers. It's the idea of how we can always make something dull into something beautiful, kind of like how Sage views herself as someone who wants to fix things that are broken. "The Florist" is comforting, something that makes you want to cuddle into yourself as you listen to it. It's the perfect combination of dreamy and tender. Her vocals are uniquely stunning; she showcases her control with this track and meshes it together with the drumbeat and compassionate feel. Abby Sage taps into observation and turns it into art. This upcoming EP "The Florist", titled after this newest release, is inspired by her love of character sketches, with each song acting as a little narrative. We're witnesses as much as we are participants in this world, and this titular track, "The Florist" offers us that. With its intimacy, "The Florist" gives us a picture of what to expect as she takes on this new era of her artistic abilities. The LA-based singer provides her soft voice with a powerful introspection in her music, making her unlike any other artist and someone to look out for. Her upcoming EP is set to be released on October 21st. Written by Jane Katryn FOLLOW ABBY SAGE:

Congratulations on the release of your new incredible single “On And On”! Can you share what inspired this song and a bit about the writing process? Night Talks: Thank you! This song was inspired by the ways in which the various relationships we experience throughout life have a lot of the same ups and downs. It could be your friends, your parents, your romantic partner-- there will always be ups and downs. At the end of the day, if we feel it's worth it, we come back to the person we're having a hard time with and work things out. This was the first song we started working on for our album "Same Time Tomorrow," but I think one of the last ones we finished. The song has been through a lot of changes to get to where it is now. How did you all meet and start making music together? Night Talks: We all met when we were taking music lessons on weekends at the same place. Jacob, our guitarist, sought out me and Josh to form a band, and we've all been in it together ever since. If you could collaborate with any other artist, who would you pick and why? Night Talks: I think it would be really cool to collaborate with a film director and composer to work on music for a movie. The band Metric had a small role as a band in the Olivier Assayas film "Clean," and they later collaborated with Howard Shore to create the score to David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis." I hope we can do both things! What is each of your favorite songs the band has ever made? Might be a tough one! Night Talks: Soraya's favorite of ours so far is "Watching Waiting," Jacob's is "Searching," and Josh's is "Dancing With My Eyes Closed." All three songs are on our new album "Same Time Tomorrow." Any advice for artists just starting out? Things you wish you could’ve told yourselves before you entered the scene? Night Talks: Learning to be patient is a really important lesson that I think all bands need to hear. Things take a long time and it's important to stick with it. Other than that, focus on the music and on playing live-- that's the best way to get good! Any upcoming projects you can share? I really can’t wait to hear more!!! Night Talks: Our sophomore album, "Same Time Tomorrow," just came out in late February. Other than that, we are working on lots of new songs! We're aiming to put two out in early 2023. Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW NIGHT TALKS:

Q: This song is so relatable! What is the story behind it? Lilla: Thank you! I’ve had lots of great feedback like this, and it’s truly the most important to me. I think the song comes across relatable because it’s about honesty and things that you wouldn’t normally admit easily to yourself or others. But I’ve spent so much time trying to look perfect to peoples’ eyes and to my own idea of myself that I got to the point where I needed to write an ‘admission of guilt’ kinda song. Q: I love all the colors and imagery used in the video! What was it like to shoot the music video for ‘Shymode’? Lilla: It was genuinely so much fun. The girl who shot the video is an old friend of mine, and we’ve worked together for a long time now so this makes the creative process very easy. Every time I come up with a concept she gets exactly what I have in mind within seconds. I also trust her intuitions so we let our creative visions intertwine and always end up with some great visuals together. Because it’s a very personal song, I wanted the video to look like an interrogation - but a glamorous one - in order to create a contrast between the concept of being shy but also wanting to be seen as beautiful and shiny all the time. I think we nailed it. Q: What was the songwriting process like for this song? Lilla: It was genuinely one of the quickest songs I’ve ever written. I always naturally start writing jamming melodies, until I find one that I love and then put lyrics to it. For this one it almost happened that music and words came together at the same time - it’s like they were within me and couldn’t wait any longer to be out in the world. It actually took me longer to produce, because the sound I ended up creating wasn’t quite the one I had in mind when I wrote the song. In my head it was supposed to be a bit slower and more melancholic but then I produced this upbeat track, and I think the juxtaposition with the lyrics actually works very well. Q: Who is one artist you would love to collaborate with? Lilla: My dream would be to work with Amy Allen. Her songwriting is stunning and I’d love to just sit in a room with her and learn. I can’t even imagine how inspiring it would be to see her in action. Q: What inspires you most to continue to create music? Lilla: I would say there are two factors. The first one is that I don’t really know anything else - I’ve been writing music for a long time and it’s what makes me the happiest. I’ve tried to take different directions, I’ve studied fashion, but I would always get back to music, so eventually decided that’s where I had to invest all my energy and time. The second factor is that it’s a hard path to undertake and sometimes (actually most of the time) it feels very hard to make a living out of it or to be successful, and every time I feel like giving up I think that I HAVE to keep going, because I owe it to myself. I owe it to the kid- me who’s been wanting to do this since always, to the kind of lifestyle I decided to take and so I have to honour my decisions if that makes sense. When it comes to inspiration, for now I want to talk about how I see things and my own experiences - I feel like this is the time where I expose things I’ve never talked about. Q: Where do you see your music journey going next? Lilla: My plan for now is to consistently release music and build my fanbase. I want to gig everywhere, starting from the UK and then across Europe. My biggest dream would be to sell out in Rome, my hometown. Singing in front of people has always been my favourite thing since I started with cover gigs in pubs - sharing my own stories is 1000 times better and really reminds me every time why I do this. Interviewed By Kendall Koval FOLLOW LILLA: