“‘Never Do’ is about being really into someone and how that kind of feeling starts to change your life, your habits, and the way you act. That’s how you know it actually means something. The song we sampled, ‘I’m Sprung,’ has a funny, lighthearted vibe that makes love feel fun and easy, and it fits perfectly with everything I’m feeling in ‘Never Do.’ I’m sprung — what can I say?”
charlieonnafriday | Ones To Watch Playlist
“I’m in my hoe era and I wanna celebrate that! Seeing what works, what feels good and what doesn’t is a fun process. I hate this whole aversion to casual sex, how about we just enjoy the moment rather than overthinking stuff – everything is temporary anyway!”
US outfit Crab are rapidly gaining traction across their home state of New York, thanks to their refreshing blend of alt-rock and post-punk.
New single ‘Unlimited’ is a collaboration with Vitruvian Sound’s Stephen Kurpis and instantly gets your heart rate racing. It’s a loud and atmospheric song that fuses post-rock with elements of art rock and shoegaze.
As you might gauge from their sound, Crab’s work is likely best experienced live. You can catch them performing at Main Drag’s Winter Madness on the 13th February.
Without a doubt, Cameron Dallas has grown to become one of the world’s most recognisable social media talents. His Instagram alone currently stands at over 26 million followers.
Cameron’s music is also just as popular, and on Spotify he’s accumulated more than 55 million streams from previous releases. His most recent project is called ‘CATCH!’ (listen to the deluxe version here), from which ‘Sinking’ is lifted.
Described by Dallas as a ‘bit of a lyrical puzzle’, the song treats us to his very distinctive type of alt-pop. It’s fun, quirky and also really quite anthemic.
Dallas Murrae is an emerging multi-genre talent based in Nashville who has been building some solid momentum lately, particularly over social media. His sound is distinct but still feels accessible and relatable.
New single ‘I Don’t Smoke’ blends hip hop with melodic pop and is inspired by the difficulty of moving on from certain situations, like the aftermath of a break-up.
Dallas has already amassed more than 770k career streams to date across digital platforms and had a viral moment on Instagram last year with his Mark Battles ‘Shasta‘ collaboration.
I Project is one of our favourite discoveries of the week, and his new single ‘INSTEAD’ has really caught our attention.
Written in the artist’s bedroom, this is a beautifully constructed alt-pop song that encapsulates human emotion in a way rarely shown in this genre of music. The track takes some of its inspiration from Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ era, which adds even more character to the sound.
I Project is currently working on his debut album, with a release date sometime in the summer later this year. In the meantime, you can explore more of this talent’s work over on his Spotify.
LA-based No Love For The Middle Child is back with a powerful new single today called ‘Ash on the Floor’, and it’s one of our favourite tracks of the week.
The song looks at the denial that we sometimes allow ourselves to experience when a relationship is clearly ending. The lyrics also speak of the clarity that comes when we finally accept that someone isn’t right for us, and the closure that comes with it. Speaking on the production, the artist explains:
“I’ve been obsessing over production lately, especially within the confines of my own music. I find that I’m most comfortable writing lyrics in my room with an acoustic guitar and that’s often where my favorite stuff comes from. I mainly listen to energetic music though, and always want energy when I think about the live show. It’s been a fun experiment writing these acoustic songs and taking them as if they’re samples and remixing them to be quicker, transposed, or completely reproduced. I find that if the bones of the song are good, the production can be anything, and that’s what I found when making ash on the floor.”
Alongside his own solo work. No Love For The Middle Child has also recently collaborated behind the scenes with global names as notable as Machine Gun Kelly, Jelly Roll, Jessie Reyez, Juice WRLD, and TXT.
American artist Shaky has long been a figure in Pennsylvania’s underground indie scene, working with the likes of Cold Fronts and Killer Bangs before branching out as an artist in his own right.
Now the owner of his own Shaky Records, this talent is releasing some of the most interesting rock sounds to emerge from his state. New single ‘In a Heartbeat’ serves as a taster to his next album, ‘Kinda Wild II’, and treats us to a fuzzy, charming, and nostalgic approach to garage rock.
“‘In a Heartbeat’ is the feeling of nostalgia. For me, it’s a look back at life in my early 20s, living in Philly and running the Rathaus. As I get older and the world gets stranger, I find comfort in my memories of the past – when times were simpler. I hope this track resonates with anybody who has a moment or two they’d like to relive.”
The track also comes with a B-side titled ‘Bait’, which is just as anthemic and captivating. Impressively, Shaky not only performs, but he also writes, records, produces and masters his music alone. You can listen to his debut record, ‘Kinda Wild’, right here.
Amelie Lucille is really quite a star in the making. We first featured this New Yorker back in 2024, when she was only 15 years of age.
Listening to her new single ‘Foolove’, you wouldn’t know that this is still a teen artist. The song is a thoughtfully crafted piece of indie folk that is sincere and moving, and is inspired by the emotions we experience when we fall in love.
“The song is a testament to how little control is felt when you are in love.”
As a sign of her ever-growing popularity, Amelie has amassed more than 500k career streams to date. The artist will perform at NYC’s Mercury Lounge on the 11th February, alongside Stella Prince and Susie McCollum. You can grab a ticket here.
Bobo Dos Blotos is a singer and songwriter currently based out of Los Angeles. While we still don’t know much about this talent, we are impressed with their work.
‘Before You Save Me’ is an emotionally charged slice of R&B-pop that treats its listeners to a cinematic style of production. It’s frantic and intense, but also feels fragile and vulnerable.
“This is a song about a kid who is lost and lonely but is hopeful for a better day and still believes in a dream and his chance to really live.”
In addition to his own project, Bobo Dos Blotos has also co-written songs for fellow rising talents like Zxena and Corrj.
UK artist Iris King might not be a name known to many (yet), but this self-described ‘big time yearner’ is a musician who has already achieved over 440k Spotify streams from the release of a previous song called ‘Veins’.
King looks set to grow her momentum even more with the new single ‘Somewhere In The Middle’. The track showcases a blend of lo-fi indie and alternative pop, resulting in a sound that is raw but also commanding and confident.
“This song is about a push and pull relationship that’s ultimately quite toxic. I feel it’s relatable for a lot of people, and sometimes hard to walk away. It’s the second single from my EP, recorded in LA in 2025 with Blonder (Ryn Weaver/Anna Shoemaker), who also produced it. We recorded the 4 track EP in 4 days, very chaotic but wonderful results.”
King’s music has been picked up by outlets like The Line of Best Fit and Noisey. We’re excited to see how the year shapes up for this very unique musician.
“This song speaks to my inner state. I’m reaching out my hand hoping someone understands and reaches back. I feel there’s a growing sense of disillusion. How did we get to this? Sometimes I feel such concern for humanity.”
Dionne | Ones To Watch Playlist
Dionne Live Dates – February 2026
Dom Quincey is without a doubt one of the UK’s most exciting indie-pop newcomers. If songs by Phoebe Bridgers and Tom Odell frequent your playlists, then chances are high that you’ll also love Quincey’s work.
Melancholic new single ‘Through The Door’ was created alongside Evil Genius, and presents listeners with a stripped-down production that allows the artist’s heartfelt lyrics to shine through. Speaking on the song’s influence. Quincey says:
“It’s about losing someone suddenly and being left with so much unfinished business. There’s a specific kind of yearning that comes from that. I wrote it from a place of bargaining where you’d do anything for them to just come back, even though you know they won’t.”
Quincey’s music has received high praise from respected tastemakers like CLASH and Notion magazines while also landing placements on prominent playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds UK.
Despite being a classically trained violinist, Grant Kozlow Gardner (simply ‘Kozlow’) is making a name for himself as one of NYC’s most sought-after DJs, performing alongside legends like Carl Cox and Cedric Gervais.
‘Drive to Milan’ is a 6-minute slice of bliss, designed to energise but also to bring some emotion. It showcases Kozlow’s natural flair for producing world-class electronic sounds in a way that is thoughtful and polished.
Kozlow also hosts AFP, an indie house party that has taken New York by storm, attracting more than 10,000 people last year. Known for its lack of line-up and cellphone ban, this hugely popular gathering is now also adding a label imprint under its name.
TRACK OF THE WEEK
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a track go viral as quickly as ‘Fabulous’ by MEEK. The song is winning a huge legion of listeners, and we’re not surprised; it’s bold, brash, arresting, a little bit bonkers, a little bit naughty… and absolutely infectious.
A three-track EP is already out, which you can listen to right here.
With her distinctive take on British hip hop, DAYSH might become one of the UK’s next big rising stars. This London-based alternative artist has been gaining some solid momentum lately, thanks to her style of work, which blends underground club beats with rap with soul.
‘INSANE’ is DAYSH’s latest single, and is lyrically inspired by the pressures that come with internal growth. We always strive to become better, but we often forget the pain that comes with evolving. The track is refreshingly honest and invites the listener into the artist’s most vulnerable thoughts.
Despite being a newcomer, DAYSH has already amassed more than 150k streams on Spotify from a handful of songs, and has also collaborated with the likes of Red Bull Music and the JBL Music Academy.
“I have been trying for some years now to extricate my relationship with my body from the smug power of patriarchal beauty standards. The belief runs so deep it feels almost biblical: that to be skinny is to be loved, to look young is to be happy, to be shaved is to be sexy; that fighting every natural impulse of your body means you have your life together. Underpinning all of this is the most urgent message of all – that the male gaze is the utmost, desperately important thing to be achieved.
It makes me want to kick, scream, writhe, and distort in agony that this culture does not treat women’s bodies as what they are: mammals, animals, human beings. ‘Good Girl’ articulates that kicking and screaming – the refusal of the idea that my body is for consumption or ornamentation. My body is my vehicle through the world. Good Girl is the aching, drudging, daily battle not to fold under the pressure to commit violence against my body: by starving, injecting, constraining, stripping, or going under the knife to reach some new level of social approval that I can mistake for unlocked confidence, or, God forbid – feminist empowerment. There is no end to it, no ceiling to be reached.
‘Good Girl’ is about the violent feeling that rises in me when a man believes my existence is a performance for him. Comments about my shape, my body hair, my teeth, my legs, my face – from catcalls to internet comments, from sexual harassment to insults that strike when I am simply existing. The song is my defiance in the face of men who cannot grasp the fact that I do not give a fuck about their attraction, their approval, or whether they are looking at me. I am looking at them.”
TRACK OF THE WEEK
Hailing from Bolton in northern England are Florentenes – a hugely exciting teenage rock outfit who are already well on their way to hitting the mainstream.
‘Madeline’ is a bold, confident, and anthemic indie bop that showcases this band’s full potential. It’s a classic British rock sound with a rebellious and playful edge, and is almost impossible not to be charmed by.
“‘Madeline’ is about those moments of chance, connection and letting yourself be swept up in life, the highs, the heartbreaks, and the energy that comes from just living in the moment.” – William Train Smith, Florentenes
Florentenes have gained support from the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins and amassed more than 500k career streams to date on Spotify. It feels like these kids are an unstoppable force, so be sure to keep them on your radars.
LA-based indie rock outfit Sorry Ghost have been rapidly gaining momentum recently, and for good reason.
This emerging quartet are currently crafting some of the finest indie sounds to have come out of California in quite some time, with their new single ‘inside voice’ proving the point further.
“‘inside voice’ is our earnest shot at telling people we’re more than internet fad; we have something to say and an authenticity to display that we feel hasn’t been said or done in indie.”
The shimmering production starts with hints at the classic Beach Boys style, gradually morphing into an almost anthemic rock sound that brings the track back to the modern day. These chaps are ones to watch!
If you’ve yet to come across The Flints, then let us give you a quick intro. This duo is made up of twins George and Henry, originally from Manchester.
They’ve grown to build a loyal fanbase across social media, currently drawing in more than 560k monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Their work blends retro sounds from the 70s with modern indie rock, resulting in a style of sound that is nostalgic but also fresh and new.
‘Hold Me’ was co-written with Koz (who has worked with the likes of Dua Lipa and Kendrick Lamar) and Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele, giving the track an interesting dynamic that feels psychedelic and nostalgic but also playful in tone. Speaking on the creation of the song, The Flints say:
“‘Hold On Me’ started on the piano we grew up with at our home in Manchester, and it’s about the hold a person, or a place, can have on you – that feeling of being pulled in and completely hypnotised. Written and self-produced at our studio in Manchester, the track blends our sibling harmonies with the sonics of euphoria and escape.”
