What began as an emotional release quickly grew into something more. Combining frontman Bally Meeda's instinct for raw, storytelling lyrics with producer LCamz's (Leon) sharp ear for production and engineering, the pair discovered a sound that balances vulnerability with vibrancy. Tears of Happiness craft emotive electronic pop: songs that tackle mental health and real-life struggles while radiating hope and positivity. For Bally, writing became a lifeline, and that healing energy remains at the heart of every track. 

Their latest single, “THE ONE,” is a perfect example of the duo's balance between immediacy and timelessness. Written spontaneously in Bally’s lounge, the track came together in just 30 minutes as Leon shaped a beat and Bally instinctively began sketching melodies. “Leon stopped and said, ‘that’s brilliant, work on that,’” Bally remembers. Rooted in personal experiences and the stories of close friends, “THE ONE” captures both authenticity and immediacy. Sonically, it pairs Tears of Happiness’s signature heartfelt lyricism with a bright, beat-driven production, delivering a track that feels uplifting, yet emotionally grounded.​

Today, alternative-soul singer Rozzi releases her moody and lush new single “Hold Tight” - a follow up to the powerful title track to her next body of work “Fig Tree.” Also out today is the official music video, shot on film and directed by Lucy Tamarkin. In the upcoming collection of songs on Fig Tree, each tells a different story of womanhood. In “Hold Tight,” Rozzi explores a brooding feeling that creeps in when you make the decision to love someone enough to need them. Sorting through the new fear of vulnerability, she sings “do you still like my castle now that you live inside?”

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​The album - produced by Mocky (Feist, Kelela, Moses Sumney) - is a deep dive into all of the uncertainty and change that comes with growth, but, ultimately, it’s an album about trust. It’s about staring into the unknown and not trying to control it, while also reassuring yourself that you have put in the work to become the kind of artist and human you were always meant to be. Read her personal essay in Bustle.

Image Credit: Laura Schaeffer

Rich’s new single “You” marks one of his most vulnerable chapters to date. Written alone at night in his flat on a cold February evening, the song began as a fragile, piano-led stream of consciousness before growing into a cinematic, explosive alt-rock release. Inspired by the euphoric, emotional soundscapes of M83 and Greet Death, “You” moves from quiet restraint to a full emotional eruption—mirroring the battle of trying to hold yourself together when life overwhelms you. The track doesn’t spell out a specific story; instead, it chases a feeling: a tension between hope and devastation, control and collapse. Rich shares, “Sometimes you don’t quite know what you’re writing about or who to, but it still hits somewhere real. ‘You’ came from that place.”

Image Credit: Patrick Hogan

Lily Lane isn’t just making music, she’s making a statement. Blending soul-soaked vocals with pop sparkle, the East Coast artist has carved out her lane as a bold performer and unapologetic advocate for body positivity, women, and LGBTQ+ rights. 

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Her new single, “Higher!,” is a soulful, cheeky anthem about finding calm in the chaos and rising above the noise. “Life’s loud and ‘Higher!’ is my way of turning down the volume,” Lane says. “I literally sing about needing to light up to calm down (let’s get rid of that stigma against people who smoke a joint at the end of the day instead of having a glass of wine), but I'm also talking about something bigger: letting go of the noise and choosing to rise above it.”

Boston five-piece rock band Cut The Kids In Half, led by brothers Jack and Charlie Silver, are excited to share their new single, “Mountains of Green.” With an alt-country-inspired sound, the song vulnerably exposes the grim pursuit of fame, from the hopefulness of it all to an agonizing epiphany that it’s torture. Accompanied by the ascension of acoustic guitars to a growling guitar riff and punchy drums, the single sonically follows the story of the mundane life to the chaos of stardom. Frontman Jack Silver’s aching vocals repeat the motif of “Get me out of here,” explicitly narrating the pain that is festering. “Mountains of Green” is a passionate, anguished, and ultimately daring song. 

Image Credit: Stella Feinstein

Richards's latest single, “Private Star,” co-produced with longtime collaborator Prairies (Jordan Iacovella), captures the artist stepping boldly into her sensual power. Written in two chapters—first in Paris, France in 2022 while working as an au pair, and later completed in her Dallas apartment in 2025—the song embodies a striking duality. “I was definitely in two completely different places in my life,” Richards reflects. “In Paris, I was confidently single and writing nonstop. When I finished the song years later, I was completely in love and much more confident in my voice and perspective.”

Rising rock artist Bailey Spinn returns with her explosive new single, “fear of going out,” released via AWAL. With fiery guitar riffs, punchy melodies, and vulnerable lyricism, the track captures the emotional weight of living with insecurity and anxiety in today’s world, while channeling the unfiltered spirit of Gen Z. “fear of going out” is available to stream/download HERE. The accompanying music video, directed by Jake The Shooter (The Kid Laroi, Cardi B), can also be viewed HERE, which features a raw, DIY performance of the song.

Image Credit: Gemma Cross

Rising alternative singer-songwriter Shaya Zamora returns today with his unforgettable new single, “Chemicals,” available now via Atlantic Records. Produced by frequent collaborator Maxwell “Mxwell” Harlor and Scott Krueger, the song is already treasured by Zamora’s growing fan following thanks to a series of short-form teases across social media.

Rising indie rock band Krooked Kings returned with their new single “Rancher’s Daughter” on October 10th. The track explores the quiet heartbreak of unrequited love, offering a grounded yet emotional reflection wrapped in the band’s signature sound: melodic, vulnerable, and certain to have listeners singing along.

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Krooked Kings have built a reputation for blending thoughtful songwriting with indie rock textures that feel both familiar and fresh. Influenced by artists like The Strokes, Bon Iver, and Peach Pit, the band’s sound lands somewhere between introspective and anthemic.

At its core, “Rancher’s Daughter” is about wanting something—or someone—you can’t have. With layered guitars, dynamic rhythm, and a sense of restrained yearning, the song captures that all-too-familiar experience of caring deeply for someone who doesn’t feel the same way.

Hailing from West London, Jules is redefining what it means to be vulnerable in modern music. Fusing soul-stirring melodies with introspective lyricism and assured, versatile flows, he carves out a space that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Blending Trap, Jersey Club, R&B, and his Caribbean influences, Jules channels inspiration from Drake, Skepta, and Kid Cudi—crafting a sound that is unmistakably his own. 

Jules now unveils his highly anticipated debut album, Loverboy Chronicles—a 10-track exploration of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery told through the lens of a man unafraid to feel deeply. Across the record, he navigates the rush of attraction, the glow of lust, the sting of heartbreak, and the peace of self-love, while confronting how digital culture distorts connection and intimacy. 

Recently, Danny Singh has garnered attention with his genre-bending versatility and viral  On The Radar performance (3.8M+ views) and his stripped down Yerr On The Street performance. His new mixtape Man Of The Year blends bouncy R&B, sharp lyricism, and a fearless DIY ethos. 

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A proud Queens, New York native, Danny Singh describes his sound as "Punk n B," a genre-blending fusion of punk rock and R&B, drawing inspiration from artists like André 3000, Sa-Ra, Frank Ocean, and JPEGMAFIA.

A Wonderful Life (Epilogue) features two new tracks, “When I Close My Eyes” and “It’s The Morning After Last Night’s Rain.” “When I Close My Eyes” has already become a fan-favorite, with over 50,000 creates on TikTok and 80 million views across platforms. The song explores the process of grief when losing a loved one, finding peace and comfort in the process.

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Odell released A Wonderful Life last month to instant recognition from NPR All Songs Considered. He recently appeared on CBS Saturday Morning to perform “Don’t Let Me Go” alongside an interview with Anthony Mason and also visited ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis to discuss the process of making the project. The album was written partly as a reaction to the news cycle and “the sense, almost every week, that the world is ending in some capacity—which it is, for some people,” notes Odell, whose lyrics channel the despair, frustration and helplessness in the modern world.

 The band returns with their latest single “Destroy,” following the release of their recent track “In Your Mind.” Where “In Your Mind” explored the helplessness of loving someone through pain and uncertainty, “Destroy” turns inward, offering a sense of closure and acceptance. “Destroy is about closing a chapter in my life where I experienced a lot of change which I talked a lot about throughout our Everything At Once record,” shares vocalist Jillian Goyeau. “Before moving on I kinda needed to say goodbye, so that’s what Destroy does. It’s me finally accepting that people can both love you and hurt you at the same time and vice versa. You can love someone even when they aren’t meant to be in your life anymore.”

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With previous support from SiriusXM’s The Verge (peaking at #2), placements on major editorial playlists across Spotify and Apple Music, and a 14-week run on the NACC charts, Talking Violet continues to carve out space for catharsis through sound. “Destroy” is the next chapter in their ongoing evolution—emotionally raw, sonically expansive, and wholly human.

Lainey Wilson’s Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition) is out today, a 3-song EP featuring a new holiday version of Wilson’s “Peace, Love, & Cowboys,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” with Bing Crosby and a rendition of George Strait’s “Christmas Cookies.”

In addition to today’s release, a physical version of the EP  will be available on November 21, consisting of “Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition)” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” as well as instrumental versions of both tracks. Pre-order HERE. Wilson will also perform the holiday songs live at the Grand Ole Opry on December 10 as part of their special Christmas show. Tickets are on-sale now at www.opry.com. ​

“My music is an invitation to step beyond the confines of time, place, and the fragile vessel of flesh, into a universe without borders,” says musician/producer/songwriter Azam Ali about her new single and video “Synesthesia,” the title track of her sixth solo album out November 14, 2025 via COP International. “I want the listener to feel carried into the vastness of the ethereal, where freedom breathes and every note reveals our part in a greater design. In this realm, we are no longer solitary beings, but shining stars drawn together into galaxies, each one a reminder that we are participants in a cosmic symphony far larger than ourselves.”

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Evoking John Everett Millais’ classic painting Ophelia, the exquisite and haunting video directed by Tas Limur features Azam submerged in a pool filled with verdant flowers and flora. The visual parallel is striking: in Millais’s painting, the drowned Hamlet character floats among blossoms; in Azam’s video, she swims and contorts beneath the surface, existing in the ethereal and liminal realm that envelops her music and even her identity. Embodying the paradox of “synesthesia” (where the senses intermingle… colors can be tasted, sounds can be felt), the video’s lush and saturated environment helps create the immersive nature of her own music. Watch the video HERE

Image Credit: Tas Limur

Set over a smooth, guitar-laced trap beat, HIM sees Shallipopi lean into his trademark confidence and swagger, built around the unapologetically self-assured mantra “that’s why I’m him”. Gunna’s signature slick delivery complements him seamlessly, turning HIM into a statement track connecting Lagos and Atlanta with effortless finesse.

2025 has been an exceptional year for the Benin City native. HIM follows the success of the smash hit ‘Laho’ and the amapiano-infused banger “Na So”. Alongside these releases, Shallipopi has continued to showcase his ever-evolving artistry through electrifying sets at Afro Nation and Recessland, a guest appearance during Central Cee’s sold-out O2 Arena show, his headline Plutomania Tour across Canada, and a partnership with BoohooMAN. Now, as he prepares to headline Afro Nation United at Drumsheds on 21st November, alongside previous collaborator Odumodublvck, Shallipopi is cementing himself as one of the most exciting artists to emerge from Africa in recent years.  

Last week, singer/songwriter Sophia James conducted a TikTok science experiment, posting 7 videos to see which promo video for her new song, "So Unfair,” would be the most successful. Video 7 exceeded all expectations, racking up almost 25M views, over 3M likes and creating a cultural firestorm.

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Sydney born, Long Beach raised, Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Sophia James lives in between the lines, and her music is no different. Since the release of her first single "Somebody New" in 2020, she’s amassed over 25 million streams by blending indie pop, folk, jazz, and rock into a singular sound. Equally comfortable performing with a full band, solo, or with a looping machine, she has toured extensively and opened for artists such as Eloise, Jensen McRae, Cannons, Couch and recently finished up a world tour as a supporting act and band member for Ben Barnes.

Image Credit: Stephanie Saias

Following a massive 25-date U.S. tour in support of their third album Love, Darla, NYC noise rock/shoegaze outfit Laveda return with a cinematic gut-punch of a single/video for "Highway Meditation.” Built from the chaotic heartbeat of their live chemistry and the kind of gritty intimacy that defines the band’s sound, the track is both explosive and hypnotic - a slow-burn anthem that channels love, danger, and delirium in equal measure.

It's quintessential Laveda: a sprawling, noise-drenched fever dream that feels both cinematic and raw - born from the city’s chaos but pulsing with human connection. The video, directed by the band and featuring actors Sofia and Trevor in a frenzied romantic/crime/action Natural Born Killers-inspired storyline, mirrors the song’s emotional push-pull between passion and destruction.

Image Credit: Julia Tarantino

Chicago songwriter Delaney Bailey is excited to announce her new album, Concave, available everywhere January 21, 2026 via AWAL. New single “Far Away” arrives today, previewing the expansive new record, contemplating youthful invincibility over propulsive drums and melodic riffs.

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“‘Far Away’ is about getting older and realizing that I know much less than I thought I did,” Bailey explains. “When I was younger, I thought that the experiences I had and the things I went through taught me enough about the world. I had learned enough about myself, I had learned enough about the way I interact with the world and my opinions on certain things. As I grow older, I’ve become much less convinced that I know anything at all."

Image Credit: Alexa Viscus

Throughout October, Pieri reimagined iconic songs through a series of darkly cinematic covers—Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night” (The Vampire), Charli xcx’s “party 4 u” (The Siren), and Rihanna’s “Disturbia” (The Werewolf)—each exploring a different archetype of feminine power. The project extended beyond music, coming to life through immersive visuals, stories on her new Substack, and her annual Halloween party in New York at The Box.

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Now, with “Just a Little,” Pieri brings her month-long creative world to a feverish climax. The hypnotic, seductive new single explores the tension between temptation and control. It’s about the thrill of flirting with danger without completely surrendering to it.

Plastic Made is a darker, more introspective project exploring inequality, superficiality, gender dynamics, and the influence of social media. Mixing rap, hip-hop, and pop-rock textures, the album will shed unforgiving light on an image-obsessed generation. LinoXren draws inspiration from XXXTentacion, Travis Scott and Twenty One Pilots, crafting a sound that’s both intimate and universal. With electric energy, bold visual style, and uncompromising artistic vision, he continues to forge a career defined by an authentically bold approach and distinctive creative vision.

With 18 songs written, produced, mixed and engineered by Castelluzzo himself, Holy Water marks the arrival of a rare artist who's been "a secret weapon for years" (KCRW), with a story that largely remains untold: a prodigious 1960s jazz lover teaching himself to play guitar while surfing the beaches of San Diego; performing at bars with local jazz greats before Rodney Jerkins brought him to LA to work with Bieber and Spears; driving for Lyft and music directing a Russian Pentecostal Church; then returning home to the emotional place where Hether began.

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Profoundly tasteful and deceptively gentle, Holy Water exists in the enveloping world that Hether created and now everyone wants to live in, revealing deeper pockets of subtlety and intricacy with each listen. Through impeccable arrangements and confessional lyrics that will build and break your heart, Stereogum says these tracks are "slow-burning dramas that start bright and flowery yet leave us with a strange shadow of unease," which you can hear on singles like "Images of Love," "Company" (with Orion Sun), "Falling For The Feeling," and this incredible performance of "Monica": watch here.

“The Real Me” once again reveals Jeffrey’s talent for crafting heartfelt and captivating pop ballads. Produced by David Burris, the track unfolds in a dynamic arrangement of lush guitar work and nostalgic production, laying the perfect foundation for Jeffrey’s soulful vocals to shine. "'The Real Me' is about wanting to be heard and seen for who I truly am at my core, and finding someone who does that," Jeffrey explains. Pairing rich vocals, R&B influences, and reflective lyricism, Jeffrey creates svelte, brooding tracks that express universal emotions. Since making his debut in 2016, he's amassed millions of streams across his repertoire, received praise from tastemakers like Billboard and 1883 Magazine, and had his music featured in numerous TV shows and films. In Spring 2022, Jeffrey’s collaboration with Grammy Award-winning DJ, Dave Audé, climbed to number 5 on the UK dance charts.

Originally, the song’s instrumental was composed for a short film, produced, edited, and sound designed by ELUNIA herself, that will be pitched for use by a mental health charity. The film follows a girl finding safety in her mind, painting with her body across a metaphorical landscape, each brushstroke a representation of the beauty within struggle.

“Strobe Lights” also reflects the pressure to appear ok in a world that glorifies exhaustion. ELUNIA began writing it while working in London’s fast-paced film post-production industry, where she witnessed the normalisation of burnout. “It seemed like a prize to be overworked, to have dark circles under your eyes,” she says. “I tried to convince myself I was fine, but I realised I was losing the connection to my younger self and the version of me who created music just to feel something real.”

Photo Credit: Jan Neumann

Rare Americans have released the third and final act of their most innovative and ambitious project to date, Searching For Strawberries: The Story Of Jongo Bongo. Combining to create their new full-length album, Searching For Strawberries tells the true story of Rare Americans’ very own multi-instrumentalist “Jongo” (real name Jan Cajka) and his transformation from corporate pawn to rock star. 

 “Until last year, I had little to no understanding as to why people lost their minds over other people. I had no references to understand those classic love stories. I use the phrase ‘love story’ loosely - carelessly, really - as I don’t think this situation was one of those at all. It’s something that falls far short of such a title, but it carries the weight. It’s a brief epic.”

The EP follows the ‘brief epic’ as it unfolds. It opens with “Heartbreak You Can Hear,” a rapturous track that mirrors those early flutters of infatuation. Then, the overthinking kicks in and you start to believe maybe it’s all too good to be true ("Guts" and "Mississippi Air"). “This House” is about feeling the end closing in on you, and “St. George” is when you come to understand that the end is here and now you must begin to process the loss. The EP concludes with “Then I Woke Up,” which encapsulates the moment you realize that while the pain hasn’t entirely gone, it doesn’t hurt quite so much anymore. It’s a tale as old as time, a story we can all relate to.

Embarking on a musical voyage through the realms of nostalgia and personal evolution, the poignant track transports listeners to a melancholic world while delving into themes of growth, societal stagnation, and the bittersweet moments of life. Sleeper masterfully weaves together introspection and relatable narratives to establish a truly mesmerizing musical experience. The dreamy and ambient artistic depiction Eric Sleeper creates with “Magnolia” is now available to stream on digital platforms.

Andrew Cushin has released his new single “Wor Flags” via Peter Doherty’s label Strap Originals. “Wor Flags” is in reference to the fan-funded group of the same name who create flag displays at St. James’ Park as a way to unite Newcastle United Football Club’s supporters. Through the track’s uplifting soundscape of driving acoustic guitars and a jubilant refrain of "la la la's," Andrew speaks to finding yourself surrounded by the people you care for and truly living in the moment.  Louis Tomlinson and Peter Doherty — who have bonded over their mutual admiration for Andrew — have joined forces with their respective record labels to release Waiting For The Rain. “Here at Strap Originals we always put the artist first and it's amazing that Louis Tomilinson and 78 Productions are offering their support to the uber-talented Andrew Cushin,” says Peter.  

Photo credit: Matthew Medina

Tess & The Details— lead singer/rhythm guitarist Tess Stevens, drummer Gideon Berger, and lead guitarist/bassist Jacob Light—carve out a brand of punk rock that is bombastic, polished, and harmony-laden. 

"We just want to make great songs and see people going nuts to them when we play live,” explains Stevens. “It's really pretty simple – Runaway is just the start of what we hope will be a really good time."

Runaway was written and performed by Stevens, Berger, and Light. Runaway was produced, recorded, and mixed by Light at ModernTone Studios in Lafayette, California and mastered by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado.

VOILÀ is the project of actor/model/musician Luke Eisner (seen in Tall Girl on Netflix) and British producer and songwriter Gus Ross. The fully independent band has made waves online since they began rolling out their debut album Happy Never After, which was released last year.

'"Nevergreen' is a song for when the love of your life ends up being the loss of your life instead. To be able to collaborate with my favorite band on a song this personal is something I treasure dearly!" - Luke Eisner 

"This is a dream for us. We built out this track among a few others before the session and were excited that it had this explosion of a chorus moment in the track. Kellin sent over some voice memos that fit this perfectly and from there the record was born. We wanted something heavy but also catchy and felt like we got it on this one. You can hum it on the subway or scream it at the top of your lungs." - Gus Ross

Check out the music video here.

Photo credit courtesy Geffen Records.

“I love bringing artists together that you’d least expect,” says Uchis. “El Alfa is a Latino legend and JT is someone I’ve admired forever. Both of them are known for their summer hits and high energy, so I’m incredibly excited to bring them together for a fun, sexy song like this.”
The trio united for “Muñekita” after longtime mutual admiration—Kali had exchanged numerous DMs with both artists before JT came over to her L.A. studio, heard the track and cut a verse. She then got a version over to El Alfa, the foremost artist in the Dominican genre, who enthusiastically added his contribution.

Pictured left to right: Kenoe Jordan, SVP, A&R, Motown Records; Michelle Jubelirer, Chair & CEO, Capitol Music Group; Dominique Jones, Founder/CEO Glass Window Entertainment, LLC; Rylo Rodriguez; Arjun Pulijal, President, Capitol Music Group and Tramiel “Twin” Clark, SVP, Artist Relations, Motown Records. Photo Credit: Lester Cohen

Capitol Music Group/Motown Records have entered into a partnership with Glass Window Entertainment, LLC – the label founded by Dominique Jones, also known as the chart-topping artist Lil Baby. Rylo Rodriguez is the first artist signed to Glass Window Entertainment/Motown Records. Been One, Rodriguez’s new album, recently debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

“Whispers” – which was written and produced by Yukon — continues a growing string of releases from Yukon, including the glittering “Gloria !” and the energetically charged “Do You Feel It?,” the latter produced by Tiggi.

photo credit: Oliver Seid

18-year-old breakout glaive shares a new single, “the car,” alongside a video directed by Adrian Villagomez—listen here and watch here. The track is taken from the artist’s debut album, i care so much that i dont care at all, set for release on July 14 on Interscope Records.

“The car was one of the only songs I didn’t write from my perspective but rather from the perspective of a friend who was cheated on,” says glaive. “I had made so many songs for the album that I was running out of personal emotions to express, and I wrote this without full context of the situation but how I would imagine and interpret it.”