New Music: Jacob Barrett

One of the most beautiful releases to come across our radars this week is ‘Maybe’ by San Francisco newcomer Jacob Barrett.

This song speaks of the cycle of thoughts that go through our minds after a connection with someone falls apart. Its production mirrors the melancholy that comes with these emotions, creating a sound that is heartfelt, sincere, and really quite emotional. Elaborating on the lyrics, Jacob explains:

“It’s rumination. The belief that if you turn something over enough times in your head you’ll finally fix it – while knowing, the entire time, that you won’t.”

Crafted with the help of Luciano Vassão and Karl Force, ‘Maybe’ is the perfect song for anyone who tends to overthink the relationships they have with those closest to them.

Inspired by artists like Tracy Chapman and Lucy Dacus, Barrett is an emerging singer, songwriter, and producer who has already gained praise from outlets such as Clout, Plastic Magazine, and The Big Takeover.

Jacob Barrett | Ones To Watch Playlist

Fox Sinclair – Work of Art

If you’re in the mood for some cinematic pop, you’ll love Fox Sinclair’s new single, ‘Work of Art’.

With a live string quartet featured in its production, this pop song gives high drama without feeling overly intense. Alongside its unique composition, the lyrics are beautifully delivered through Sinclair’s distinctive vocals.

The track’s creative edge reflects Fox’s multidisciplinary approach to her work: this talent is not only a singer and songwriter but also a movement director, photographer, and writer.

Fox Sinclair | Ones To Watch Playlist

Jess Tenace – pretty

Melbourne-based singer and songwriter Jess Tenace has a vocal that immediately captivates.

The new single ‘pretty’ is a charming blend of indie-pop and rock, with a lo-fi style of production that gives the song a timeless quality. Lyrically, this is a classic heartbreak song that touches on themes of jealousy and self-doubt, and is sure to resonate with anyone who has suffered from a breakup (and let’s face it, who hasn’t!).

“Built around the double meaning of the word ‘pretty,’ the song shifts from ‘she’s pretty’ to feeling ‘pretty overwhelmed’ and ‘pretty not okay,’ capturing the spiral of jealousy, regret, and self-comparison after missing your chance.”

Tenace’s work centres around relationships and personal growth, and with songs like ‘pretty’, we’re quite sure this talent will go very far.

Jess Tenace | Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: ZALIK

Hailing from San Francisco, ZALIK is a house producer who, despite releasing only a couple of songs to date, is already picking up some good traction with his work.

‘mind.exe’ blends old-school house music with UK-inspired garage, creating a melodic anthem and a very hypnotic beat.

We’re looking forward to seeing what comes next from this promising talent… In the meantime, be sure to check out ZALIK’s previous release, ‘Be With Me‘.

ZALIK | Ones To Watch Playlist

May Payne – The News

May Payne has been on our radar since as early as 2022 and still continues to impress with her work.

This emerging talent returns today with a new single called ‘The News’. With its sincere vocals and gorgeous blend of indie, folk and rock, this track is heavy on the emotion. It was inspired by the rawness that comes from heartbreak, and the intense feelings take over our thoughts. Payne explains:

“When we broke up after two years, my ex said that they would love me forever, that they would be incapable of dating anyone unless it was me again. A few weeks after that, I found out that they were already in a relationship with someone else. I remember immediately after seeing it thinking that I could either go into a complete tailspin or try to write about it, and this song came out in one go as soon as I sat down.”

Payne’s work has recently picked up praise from outlets as noted as BBC Radio 6 and DIY Magazine.

May Payne | Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Coria

Photo / Amelie Karlsbro

Hailing from Sweden, Coria is one of the most impressive newcomers to come across our radars this week.

‘Lost In Translation’ is a melancholic pop masterpiece that hits your emotions hard. Despite its relatively minimal production, this song is cinematic in tone. It’s raw, vulnerable, and deeply moving.

A new EP titled ‘Aftermath’ is scheduled for release later this year. In the meantime, you can explore more of this hugely promising singer, songwriter, and producer’s work here.


Coria | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist

LÜCY + Moyka – LOOP

We’ve got a real sonic delight to share with you today, courtesy of Taiwanese artist LÜCY.

‘LOOP’ is a stunning collaboration with Norwegian talents Eirik Hella (producer) and singer Moyka.

The track’s heady blend of electronica and dark pop instantly draws you in with its hypnotic beat structure. At the same time, the vocals deliver lyrics that span three languages – English, Norwegian, and Mandarin.

Touching on themes of generational trauma stemming from fear and pain, ‘LOOP’ reminds us that we have the power to break these toxic cycles. But then again, do we have it within us to really try?

LÜCY | Moyka | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist

Jenna Victoria – it’s just life

US independent singer and songwriter Jenna Victoria has unveiled the catchiest bop of the week, and we’re quite sure you’ll love it too.

‘it’s just life’ is a thoughtfully constructed pop song that features a nostalgic, dreamy essence. The sound is charming and really quite sweet, mirroring lyrics that speak of embracing love when you are given the chance to receive it from someone.

Despite a relatively small catalogue of releases, Jenna’s music has amassed more than 50k streams on Spotify to date.

Jenna Victoria | Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: goodkitty

If you’re in the mood for some indie rock this weekend, then we’ve got a brilliant new artist to share with you, called goodkitty.

This Chicago-based singer, songwriter and producer crafts a style of sound that feels refreshingly authentic and emotionally charged.

‘The Right Kind’ is lifted from the artist’s upcoming 2027 album and treats us to a timelessly cool blend of alternative rock, indie, and fuzzy pop.

“The song paints a rolling, blood-pumping picture of the mutual understanding of two people who aren’t together but would like to be – if it weren’t for their current relationship statuses.”

While we wait for the full project to drop, be sure to explore more of goodkitty’s music here.

goodkitty | Ones To Watch Playlist

Luke Kearns + Xavier Weeks – Don’t Worry

Rising Irish producer Luke Kearns is a name to watch for. This emerging talent has built impressive momentum recently, and his new collaboration with US artist Xavier Weeks is sure to propel hype even more.

‘Don’t Worry’ is a melodic house production that is both classic in style and still delivers a fresh edge. The sound gives you the same sense of euphoria that you expect from club anthems from the late 90s, which is always a good thing.

This is already one of our favourite bangers of the season.

Luke Kearns | Xavier Weeks | Ones To Watch Playlist

Jaïr Faria – August

SONG OF THE WEEK


Dutch singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jaïr Faria is having quite the year, and deservedly so. This hugely talented artist has just been signed to Roc Nation’s publishing arm, as well as a recording contract with Giant Music.

‘August’ is a flavour of what the future holds. This is a bold, powerful, cinematic, and beautifully intense song that fuses alternative rock with dark pop and soul. It’s unashamedly raw, reflecting the healing process after a breakup:

“‘August’ is about trying to move on from someone and finally reaching a period where life begins to feel light again. But even in the middle of a beautiful summer, one dark, rainy day can bring everything back – the memories, the absence, and the pain you thought you had left behind. The rain becomes a metaphor for those unexpected moments that pull you back into grief, while August represents the warmth and happiness you are trying to return to. It is a bittersweet song about how healing is never completely linear.”

To date, Faria has amassed well over 11 million career streams and 44 million TikTok views, to name a few achievements.

Jaïr Faria | Ones To Watch Playlist

Sinego x Tripolism – Flotando

South American producer Sinego and Danish trio Tripolism have joined forces to create one of the weekend’s standout electronic releases.

‘Flotando’ is an immersive piece of sonic perfection. The production is polished and balanced, with a hypnotic beat that draws listeners into a soundscape which blends melodic house with Afro-house and techno.

Sinego is an acclaimed producer who has amassed more than 6 million career streams, while Copenhagen’s Tripolism are one of Scandinavia’s biggest electronic powerhouses, amassing over twenty million streams to date.

Sinego | Tripolism | Ones To Watch Playlist

Vau – Cocoon Time

We only featured Vau a couple of months ago, but we can already safely call ourselves fans of this rising newcomer.

The Swedish singer and songwriter is back today with a gorgeous song called ‘Cocoon Time’, and it’s really quite something. The production blends bedroom pop with fuzzy indie, resulting in a hazy and subdued style of sound. And yet despite its minimalism, this track still feels sonically joyful and energising.

But don’t be fooled – the lyrics are actually pretty intense. The artist explains:

“A song with an uplifting production and feeling, but rather dark lyrics: about self loathing and the need to merge into the depths of your sofa to hide from the world for a while. But also: to – in due time – emerge from those depths and take a leap into a new chapter of life again. A song for all us sensitive souls out there.”

Vau has also released an album of the same name today, which you can enjoy here.

Vau | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist

Tom Sless – Country Butter

‘Country Butter’ by American artist Tom Sless is one of this summer’s catchiest releases, in our humble opinion anyway.

This track blends a playful, nostalgia-tinged indie-pop production with lyrics that compare the warmth of the summer season with that of being in love. It’s a classic pop sound that is instantly relatable to most listeners and one that fits perfectly into any summer-inspired playlist.

Sless abandoned his corporate life working for Deloitte, opting to buy a van and roam around the country performing wherever he could. You can catch Tom at The Double Wide in Dallas on the 14th August – tickets here.

Tom Sless | Ones To Watch Playlist

Saint Blonde – smooth talkin’

Despite being around since 2018, we’ve rarely come across the Texan group Saint Blonde’s work… and we’re wondering why it took us so long to wake up to just how brilliant they really are.

‘smooth talking’ is one of those songs that exudes confidence; it’s bold and punchy without trying hard. The production seamlessly fuses indie with psychedelica, gritty rock, and dreamy pop. It’s a blend of sounds that shouldn’t work together, but somehow they do here. And fantastically so at that.

If you enjoy these guys as much as we now do, then be sure to explore their back catalogue on Spotify here.

Saint Blonde | Ones To Watch Playlist

K La – Cold

There’s something very powerful when an artist reinvents themselves. As listeners, we get to explore new sounds, perspectives, and ways of expression when musicians shift, as is the case with Atlanta’s Kayla Williams and her rebrand, K La.

‘Cold’ is immediately captivating. With its intense, dark, and cinematic style of pop, this release makes a bold and powerful statement – an announcement of a new dawn for an already hugely gifted artist.

“K La is the voice that had been whispering beneath everything I’d released before. The songs were always honest, but they were still careful. K La isn’t a different person, she’s the version of me that stopped apologising for taking up space and granted herself permission to be louder, bolder, and more expressive”. ‘Cold’ is just the first of many soundtracks finally breaking that sound.”

We’re so excited with this new work from Williams and can’t wait to see what is next on the horizon.

K La | Ones To Watch Playlist

Dan Croll – Most of All

Photo / Hanifah Mohammad

Acclaimed artist Dan Croll has graced our pages for well over a decade and still continues to pleasantly surprise us.

His new single, ‘Most Of All’, is a magnificent blend of indie, pop and folk. The beauty of this song lies in its simplicity. The production is thoughtfully balanced, the melody is simple, and the lyrics are easy to connect with.

The track was inspired by a road trip that Croll embarked on while in the US and reminds us that the charm of these adventures lies in the people we meet and less about the places themselves.

“During my final month in Los Angeles, I had this urge to leave nothing undone. I borrowed a friend’s car and set off on a series of road trips to see everything that had been sitting on my list.”

“‘Most of All’ came from that realisation. It is a reflection on that journey, but more importantly on what it led me to understand. The song moves through those images of travel and discovery, but always comes back to the same conclusion… ‘I’d miss you most of all’ is the truth that grounds it.”

A new album, titled ‘Winning Streak’, is out on the 9th October 2026.

Dan Croll | Ones To Watch Playlist

muuk – starfish

Photo / Victor Stokholm

SONG OF THE WEEK

Danish artist muuk returns today with her third single, and it really is something quite special.

‘starfish’ is many things sonically. This is dreamy pop with elements of lo-fi indie and shoegaze.

The production builds a soundscape that feels somewhat joyful and optimistic but juxtaposes heavily against lyrics which speak of toxic love in an unbalanced relationship she went through.

“I was so miserable in this period of my life, yet I truly believed this was the love of my life.”

“With ‘starfish’ I finally feel ready to let go of all the pain that has followed me throughout all these years. I want to move forward.”

An upcoming EP is on the way. In the meantime, be sure to check out Muuk’s other two equally stunning singles here.

muuk | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist

ROREY – Binary Thinking

We’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve featured NY talent ROREY, so it won’t come as a surprise that we’re loving their new single, ‘Binary Thinking’.

The production presents listeners with a summer-tinged indie pop production that feels nostalgic in tone. The song’s melancholic essence mirrors the lyrics, which are inspired by the thoughts that cross your mind when you stop communicating with someone you used to be with.

“This chorus is my favorite because, I think we all want to stand on the belief that the other person will regret losing us but, I also wondered if I even mattered enough to be felt as a loss. I wondered a lot if my absence was more of a relief. I feel like the song highlights that cyclical ‘Binary Thinking’ when you’re left speculating. While this song was written over a year ago it could have been written yesterday. Silence is open to interpretation and the intention behind it doesn’t change the impact.” 

ROREY has amassed more than 550k streams to date and continues to win praise from tastemakers like OnesToWatch and Atwood Magazine.

ROREY | Ones To Watch Playlist