Calby – Deeper Love

Photo / Petra Kleis

If you love soul and see yourself as a hopeless romantic, then you’ll most likely appreciate Calby’s latest offering, ‘Deeper Love’.

Serving as a taster to the artist’s next album, this track showcases a charming blend of soul, pop, and R&B and was written purely as an ode to relationships. It’s a simple message, but one that is relatable to anyone who has ever been in love.

“‘Deeper Love’ is a song I wrote for the love of my life. It’s my tribute to everything we share. It’s about what we’ve been through together – how I can see myself in her scars, and how she carries them more gracefully than I ever could. It’s a declaration of love – honest, unfiltered, and without reservation.”

Calby is an acclaimed and well-established Danish singer-songwriter based in Copenhagen, who has already released two albums to date – 2021’s ‘Burnout’ and 2023’s ‘Inner Critic’s Choice Awards’. You can listen to both records here.

Calby | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist

Emmalee Rainbow – I’ve Had Some Wine

Photo / Molly Jackson

California-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emmalee Rainbow has been steadily building traction recently thanks to her distinctive approach to indie rock.

‘I’ve Had Some Wine’ is an anthemic track that was written by the artist on her Notes app while celebrating her 21st birthday in Las Vegas. Elaborating on the song’s meaning, she says:

“Vegas, oddly enough, really inspired me for this song. The idea that we only get one life is such a cliché, but I feel like all of us are longing for an experience that doesn’t exist. Vegas represents that perfectly for me.”

The track serves as a taster to Rainbow’s upcoming ‘IHSW’ EP, which is out soon. In the meantime, you can catch Rainbow performing live at LA’s Molly Malone’s on the 9th January.

Emmalee Rainbow | Ones To Watch Playlist

Silver Liz – Trixie’s Crying

Brooklyn husband-and-wife outfit Silver Liz (aka Carrie and Matt Wagner) return today with a really interesting new single called ‘Trixie’s Crying’.

Lifted from their upcoming ‘III’ album (out 30th January), this track blends glitch pop with trip hop and shoegaze. The resulting sound is somehow both energising and dreamy at the same time; it’s euphoric, playful and charmingly sweet.

Silver Liz’s music has picked up praise from notable outlets like Pitchfork and Under the Radar Magazine, while their catalogue of releases has so far amassed more than 170k streams on Spotify alone.

Silver Liz | Ones To Watch Playlist

Alexander Wolfe – Everythinglessness

Alexander Wolfe has become somewhat of a fixture on these pages, and for good reason. The recent releases teasing his upcoming ‘Everythinglessness’ album (out 16th January) have all been sensational, both sonically and lyrically.

Wolfe today shares with us the titular song from the album, and as we’ve come to expect, it’s a flawless piece of indie music. Despite its minimalism, the track expresses some powerful emotions, as it details the moments when you first recognise your mind fracturing.

“The first time something breaks. Your body goes off, your brain can’t keep up… ‘Am I dying”‘ ‘Is this a heart attack”‘ I remember that moment so clearly. Realising I wasn’t the same as everyone else.”

There are still some tickets left for Wolfe’s album launch on the 24th of this month at Christ Church St Leonards – get your tickets here.

Alexander Wolfe

New Music: januaryy.

Newcomer januaryy., who hails from Toronto in Canada, only came across our radars this week with his new single, ‘HERCULES’.

Inspired by themes of escapism and insecurity, the song showcases a melancholic fusion of indie and dreamy pop. The track is alternative and raw but still maintains a sense of vulnerability, which makes it feel relatable to listeners.

“‘HERCULES’ lives in a numb, reflective space. The narrator recognizes his own behavior without fully confronting it yet, judging others while repeating the same patterns. The chorus leans into irony, using the image of Hercules to represent a temporary, fragile sense of power created through validation and distraction.”

Despite releasing only two songs to date, we’re intrigued by januaryy.’s refreshingly original sound. This could well be one of Canada’s next new talents to look out for!

januaryy. | Ones To Watch Playlist

Sara Diana – Is That Blood?

We only came across American artist Sara Diana today, and we’re really impressed with what we’ve heard.

‘Is That Blood’ is a beautifully haunting piece of cinematic pop that is doused with drama. It’s dark, intense, and utterly spellbinding to experience.

“‘Is That Blood?’ tells the story of a love that is dark, special, and hidden from the world.”

Diana currently draws in more than 40k monthly listeners on Spotify and has amassed over three million career streams on the platform, proving that this is a talent worth keeping on your radars. It’s going to be an exciting year ahead for this artist!

Sara Diana | Ones To Watch Playlist

Sametime – Is This The End?

“This song is the most personal song we have. It’s about when we first moved to the other side of the world, away from everything we’ve ever known. he song is more of a diary entry of everything going through our heads. It’s about coming to terms with sacrificing time with our friends and family, knowing it was potentially that it could be the last time we’d see some of them.” – Tim Aitken, Sametime

Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Get Out Whilst You Can’, out next month.

Sametime | Ones To Watch Playlist

Sara Diamond – Mother

Four-time Grammy-nominated artist Sara Diamond began writing ‘Mother’ at the end of last month, sharing clips on social media along the way. In that time, those posts gathered a tonne of momentum – an Instagram clip for the song totalled 1.2m views alone.

Fans who demanded a full version of the song will be pleased today, as the track has just been released. And it’s a beautiful, deeply moving piece of music with some of the most powerful words we’ve heard in a song in some time.

“so incredibly blown away by your reaction to ‘mother’… your comments and videos have made me cry tears of pain and joy at the same time- music has the power to heal and it’s an honor that something I was able to channel has had the impact it has had on you.”

Loved by critics and music listeners alike, it might not be a surprise to know that Sara’s work has amassed more than 38 million career streams, making her one of Canada’s most prominent pop artists in recent years.

Sara Diamond | Ones To Watch Playlist

Pet Owner – After Summer

Swiss experimental artist Pet Owner has held a special place in our hearts for some time. She’s back today with a wonderful new single, called ‘After Summer’.

Crafted as a ‘hyperfolk ballad’, this song really is an experience; lyrically introspective – inspired by the theme of ‘wanting to sense it all, yet feel nothing’ – while sonically avant-garde and refreshingly intriguing.

As the world keeps spinning relentlessly, the voice seeks a split second of silence. “Dancing on my own as if there’s no tomorrow.”

If this is your first time listening to Pet Owner, then be sure to check out her previous records on Spotify, where she currently draws in more than 4k listeners and has amassed more than 70k streams to date.

Pet Owner | Ones To Watch Playlist

Lily Lane – Amnesia

Acclaimed American soul starlet Lily Lane has just dropped a brand new EP, ‘Domesticated’ (listen here), along with a fresh single called ‘Amnesia’.

The song is inspired by the feelings that someone can experience after healing from a breakup. The moments when you enjoy the empowerment of being single again, while still getting flashbacks from the relationship. It’s a catchy ode to moving on, while still acknowledging that at the end of the day, we are still humans that carry raw emotion with us.

Lane’s dedication to creating premium soul-pop has not gone by unnoticed. Over the years, this artist has amassed millions of views and streams across YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music. Her songs have also soundtracked countless stories and loops on social media, proving that her music is not only sonically impressive but also lyrically relatable to listeners.

Lily Lane | Ones To Watch Playlist

Cheap Wedding – Deep Well

One of Berlin’s most exciting emerging music artists, in our opinion, is Cheap Wedding, and if her streaming and airplay figures are anything to go by, it looks like we’re not the only ones who think this way.

Cheap Wedding’s music is always a luxurious affair, as you’ll experience when you play her new single, ‘Deep Well’. Inspired by memories, this song is a masterclass in downtempo music and was co-produced by ORI (who has also collaborated with the likes of Drake and Fred again..).

With more than half a million career streams to date, this talent is clearly on her way up and looks set to have a very exciting year ahead.

Cheap Wedding | Ones To Watch Playlist

Gianna Alessi – It’s Only Heaven

If you’re in the mood for some finessed soul-R&B, then we’ve got a perfect talent to share with you today, going by the name of Gianna Alessi.

‘It’s Only Heaven’ is the artist’s new single and serves as a taster to her upcoming debut EP, which is out next year.

The track invites listeners into a dreamy soundscape filled with mellow grooves and sweet vocals, with lyrics that ‘push back against love built on fantasy, honey-laced words, pretty lines, and projections that feel flattering but hollow’.

To date, this promising New Yorker (now based in LA) has amassed more than 100k cumulative streams on Spotify. Alongside her own work, Alessi is also a vocalist who has worked with projects like the Symphonic Winds Symphony.

Gianna Alessi | Ones To Watch Playlist

Bryan Chase – Kill The Night

South Korean talent Bryan Chase teams up with acclaimed producer Chaz Jackson (Tory Lanez and Prince Royce) on his latest offering, ‘Kill The Night’.

This is a beautifully crafted track that effortlessly fuses alternative hip hop with R&B and rock, resulting in a sound that feels deeply emotive, sincere, and heartfelt.

The song follows on from Chase’s well-received ‘GRANTED’ EP (listen here) and sets the tone for the artist’s next chapter in his creative work. We’re looking forward to seeing what the next year looks like!

Bryan Chase | Ones To Watch Playlist

Brando – When You Stay

Eight years on, and Brando’s voice is still one of the most recognisable in dance-pop, thanks to his part on Loud Luxury’s monster 2017 hit Body(which has been streamed more than 1.5 billion – yes, billion – times).

He’s back this week with a new single called ‘When You Stay’ which showcases not only his vocals but also his natural flair for songwriting. Speaking on the track, Brando says:

“I’ve been the voice behind one of the most streamed dance songs of the last decade – but ‘When You Stay’ is the first time I feel like I’m showing who I really am.”

With its simple pop production and catchy melody, we’re quite certain this track will win over a new legion of fans for this hugely gifted musician.

Brando

Carol Ades – Merry Go Round

Photo / Lauren Kim

We’ve all been through moments in relationships when we feel like things are changing for the worse and yet can’t let go because the fear of loss is too strong. Carol Ades’s new single ‘Merry Go Round’ is all about that.

The track looks at the struggles between wanting to move forward while also being held back by fear, up until the moment when you decide to break the cycle.

“I wrote this song on a day where I was honestly just so over it all. I think I was starting to realize that if I wanted something to change I had to change it otherwise I’d be spinning in the same place forever.”

Ades has enjoyed tonnes of success recently, with more than 12 million career streams to date. Alongside her records, she’s also a seasoned performer who’s played at this year’s iconic Lollapalooza and also toured alongside the likes of Lizzy McAlpine, Holly Humberstone, and Suki Waterhouse.

Carol Ades | Ones To Watch Playlist

Silent Child – Get Well Soon

Photo / Jaxon Whittington

LA-based artist and producer Silent Child returns with an impressive EP, ‘Voices In The Dark’ (listen here), and along with it an energising new single called ‘Get Well Soon’.

The perfect anthem to start the week with, this reflective bop looks at the feelings of accomplishment that come after a period of struggles. It’s a reminder to keep our heads held high and stay focused on our goals.

With its bold fusion of alternative pop and rock, the whole EP treats listeners to unexpected and refreshingly original sounds, while its central message of finding your own truth amidst a chaotic world is sure to resonate with all of us.

Silent Child | Ones To Watch Playlist

chloe moriondo – teeth

It’s always a good day when we come across a new chloe moriondo single, so we’re quite pleased to be sharing ‘teeth’ with you today.

As we’ve come to expect from this talent, the track is a masterclass in pop. It’s perfected and finessed and carries a melody that’ll stick with you all afternoon.

The song celebrates the release of moriondo’s deluxe version of her third album, ‘(my world is an) oyster’ (listen here), of which she says:

“i’m very excited for oyster deluxe to be out in the world. It’s got some features and different versions i’m very proud of. the ‘girls with gills’ alice edit is such a dream to me… hearing alice’s freaky little self sing gay mermaid lyrics to my song was a peak moment. she’s a legend.”

moriondo’s momentum has exploded in recent years, with the artist now amassing more than 250 million streams on Spotify.

Fans in NYC can catch moriondo on DJ duty tonight at Night Club 101 – you can RSVP for tickets here.

chloe moriondo

Henry Grace – California Rain

UK singer and songwriter Henry Grace is back today with a gorgeous new single called ‘California Rain’.

The heartfelt track was inspired by Grace’s time in LA when he was in his 20s and serves as a taster to his next album, ‘Things Are Moving All Around Me’ (out 23rd January).

“It offers a sense of yearning, and a restlessness, that runs like a thread through all the singles on the album.”

Interestingly, the song was performed and recorded live at Middle Farm Studios and was co-produced by Blaine Harrison from the Mystery Jets.

Grace’s music has so far amassed more than two million career streams on Spotify alone. You can catch the artist performing at London’s iconic Bush Hall on the 30th January 2026 – grab your tickets here.

Henry Grace

Ones To Watch Playlist

Nathav – Over You

Danish artist Nathav has just unveiled one of the sweetest songs of the week, called ‘Over You’.

Blending dreamy pop with jazz and mellow synth tones, this track really stands out for its originality. It’s emotional and heartfelt while also being experimental and slightly avant-garde.

Lyrically, this is a beautifully written heartbreak song that offers comfort to anyone who’s healing from a ruined romance.

“The song is dedicated to all the brave hearts who try to hold it together when heartache has shattered them into pieces.”

Nathav is already an established fixture within the Danish music scene, performing as a member of the bands Lovebites, Blake, and Umatic across the years. If you’re now a fan, then be sure to check out her positively received 2024 EP ‘Moon River’ here.

Nathav

Ones To Watch Playlist Nordic Sound Playlist