“When I was little, I wasn’t afraid to get angry.Ā Now Iāve had to relearn getting mad, and reconnect with indignation.”
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Iris Caltwait – Serpentine
Category: Music
AIYANA – best case world
Rising alt-pop talent AIYANA returns with a beautiful new single today that we think you’ll absolutely love.
‘best case world’ is a heartfelt and introspective track that brings to light the struggles of life and how to find ways to cope through the turmoil when it happens. As the artist explains:
“ābest case worldā is my interpretation of what my dream world would look like. The exploration of the idea that what if everything went smoothly. What if that relationship never ended and my mum didnāt get sick, but learning the adventure of life is a bit messy, and sometimes messy is how we grow. That all we can do is try our best but itās also okay to dream and manifest ur best case world.”
The song showcases AIYANA‘s natural flair for not only crafting memorable melodies but also sincere lyrics that welcome you into her deepest thoughts. More music is due to come shortly, and we can’t wait.
šµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
New Music: Tela Bella
Hailing from Dallas in Texas are Tela Bella, an indie-electronica duo who recently caught our attention with ‘Iridescent Light’.
Serving as a taster to the outfit’s self-produced ‘Echo City’ album (listen here), this song presents listeners with a breakbeat sound that somehow feels both melancholic and also playful at the same time. The production is thoughtfully considered and keeps you hooked from start to finish.
“This is the last song we wrote for our album ‘Echo City’. We felt the record needed a more energetic moment, and this song is the result of that. It’s about going on a walk through the city in search of a distraction while dealing with grief.”
While we don’t yet know much about Tela Bella, we’re quite confident that these two highly talented musicians will continue to grow in momentum, so be sure to keep them on your radars!
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New Music: Altara
TRACK OF THE WEEK
“‘Nostalgia’ came so out of the blue for me, I was back home in Ireland playing FIFA with my little brother when it hitā¦I really wanted to embrace the drama, how hard I find it to move on from someone, & I love how fluid the whole process was. I wrote it over that weekend, and we had it mixed & mastered by Friday. We really wanted to keep as much as we could from the original demo, because the feeling was just so fresh.”
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Adekunle Gold – Believe
‘Believe’ is lifted from Gold’s latest album, ‘FUJI’ (listen here).
“Across its tracks, ‘FUJI’ oscillates between celebratory moments suffused with confidence and intimate reflections that reckon with loss – most notably the passing of Gold’s father – and the journey of rediscovering himself.”
SHY Martin – l.o.v.e
TRACK OF THE WEEK
Alfitude has featured SHY Martin so many times that we should just call ourselves her biggest fans at this point. With that in mind, it won’t come as a surprise to know that our Track of the Week comes from this hugely acclaimed Swedish artist and songwriter.
‘l.o.v.e’ weaves elements of alt-pop with indie and adds a touch of shoegaze into the mix, creating a sound that feels raw and organic, while the melody evolves from understated verses to anthemic choruses.
SHY’s next full-length record is due for release next year. Oh, and fun fact: to date, SHY’s work as a songwriter has amassed her more than six billion streams. Beat that.
New Music: Lemi
One of the most impressive newcomers to come across our radars from Scandinavia recently has been Lemi.
Signed to the powerhouse that is Made (who are already well known for their work with AURORA and Sigrid), this artist creates bold, punchy pop songs that are not shy of delivering drama, as is the case with her new single, ‘Get Him Gone’.
The track was created alongside Whammyboy and Robert Gillies and encapsulates the rawness that comes with being a teenager trying to cope with love’s trials and tribulations. Speaking on the track, Lemi explains:
āI wrote it for me, but even more for everyone else who can relate. Itās not about what Iāve been through, but about something so many people experience. I get really angry, and then I have to write about it.ā
New Music: holybones
“This song is about dance music. We wrote this when we thought we were out the other side of the noise. We love our mates; this is for them.”Ā
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New Music: Katherion
For those who are fresh in love, we’ve got a very sweet song to share that you might appreciate.
‘Meant to Be’ is by American newcomer Katherion and delights listeners with a warm, dreamy pop sound that is mellow and nostalgic in character. It’s a beautiful piece of music that simply encapsulates the emotions of falling for someone.
“‘Meant to Be’ is about a blooming romance where uncertainty is as present as euphoria. Love and new beginnings are in the air!”
The track serves as a solid introduction to a very interesting artist, who operates ‘from a belief that the description of a human-to-human relationship can also describe our relationship to the Divine, and vice versa’.
With such a refreshing approach to songwriting, we think Katherion might build up quite the fanbase over the next few years.
šµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
New Music: Mightyyout
Mightyyout might be a name you’ll get used to hearing a lot soon, and as soon as you press play to ‘Pause’, you’ll understand why.
This rising Nigerian singer and songwriter has already gained the seal of approval from global names like Popcaan and Davido, thanks to his distinctive style of work, which seamlessly blends Afrobeats with dancehall. The sound is instantly uplifting and, as is certainly the case with his new single, instantly memorable.
‘Pause’ is lifted from Mightyyout’s freshly released debut EP, ‘Mighty Yard’ (listen here), which is the final result of a project that saw the artist create more than 500 songs!
“This EP means the world to me. Itās happiness for my friends and family whoāve been listening to these records with me for years. Most importantly, it means freedom. For the longest time, Iāve held these songs hostage, and finally letting them out now means more will follow. My heart is at peace knowing the world will now get to experience the talent God has blessed me with. I knew I had to do something special with this EP, because I know Iām different ā in how I make music and how I connect with it. That inspired me to embrace the process, take the struggles in front of me, and turn them into something beautiful. It gave me the freedom to truly express myself and bring my vision to life. It was a long process, but enjoyable, because I had the freedom to truly express myself and bring my vision to lifeā.
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New Music: Justin Hawkins
The heat season might be over (in the UK at least), but we’re still getting some lovely summery releases that make us wish the sun stayed a little longer…
‘reason to stay’ is the charming new single from American artist Justin Hawkins. The song treats us to an alt-pop production that feels warm and sincere, while also maintaining a sense of playfulness in its sound.
“A song full of nostalgic sounds with vocals and lyrics amplifying that feeling.”
While we don’t know much about Hawkins, he’s already building up a solid fanbase online, garnering more than 75k career streams to date. With his unique style of songwriting and relatable lyrics, we think this kid’s momentum will only continue to grow in the coming months!
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Moana – Closure
Sydney pop talent Moana returns today with an anthemic new single called ‘Closure’, and we’re quite sure you’ll love it as much as we do.
Despite carrying itself as a pop-rock soft ballad, this track still hits you with pure, intense, heartfelt emotion.
Lyrically, the song looks at ‘situationships’, when the romantic boundaries between two people are so blurred that they inevitably end up in someone getting hurt.
“This dichotomy of emotions is more common than we think, and ‘Closure’ is a song for people who have experienced that. Hopefully, it can bring closure to those who never found it.ā
Moana has impressed us for quite some time. Alongside the millions of streams she’s amassed on Spotify alone, this artist has also been involved in projects from Australian Idol to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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New Music: Stella Smyth
“‘Streetcar’ explores the discomfort of admitting what youāre not supposed to want. It explores the nuances of desire, guilt, and emotional honesty in a relationship. Itās about fantasizing about infidelity and the shame that shadows those thoughts. Itās a confession of yearning, of chasing fantasy at the expense of dignity, and wrestling with what that means when you love someone.ā
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Elliot + Reveal Party – nothing at all
āThereās something strangely liberating about writing through discomfort ā through the unforgivable. Maybe itās because it allows you to say whatās never been said, even as you feel a creeping fear of being changed by the story or identifying too closely with it.ā – Elliot
Elliot | Reveal Party | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound PlaylistĀ
New Music: BABY B
We’ve got a really exciting talent to share with you today, going by the name of BABY B (aka Sarah Blanchard).
Despite being an already acclaimed songwriter for over a decade (with a nomination nod from the BRITS and over a billion cumulative streams from songs she’s worked on), this Mancunian artist has only just now unveiled their debut solo single, called ‘Because’.
This refreshingly original indie-pop song, inspired by the reckless feelings that love can bring, should resonate with anyone who’s fallen for the wrong person too quickly and intensely.
“Itās a song for anyone whoās ever felt themselves lose control in love, knowing it might not end well but diving in anyway.ā
With the release of ‘Because’, we not only get to experience brilliant songwriting from Blanchard but also get to enjoy some fabulous vocals too. A really impressive artist and one who deserves a tonne of recognition.
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Jack Kane – Wisdom Tooth
ā’Wisdom Tooth’ may be the most unique metaphor Iāve committed to in a song so far. Comparing lust and infatuation to that strange, lingering ache of wisdom tooth pain. Itās impossible to ignore, it doesnāt feel like it should be there, but you canāt stop prodding at it. This song tackles feelings of desire in a playful form.ā
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Lucy Deakin – Solar Eclipse
UK starlet Lucy Deakin returns with a brilliant pop banger to kick the week off in style.
‘Solar Eclipse’ is a masterclass in alt-pop and serves listeners with a glistening sound that bounces between playful verses and anthemic choruses. The track somehow feels uplifting but also bittersweet, mirroring the song’s lyrics, which centre around the emotions we experience after a breakup.
āāSolar Eclipseā is an upbeat anthem about falling out of love in the most exciting way; when it feels freeing instead of heavy. I wrote it in LA on my birthday at the start of 2024, wanting to create something that felt like a fun summer anthem, the way Gwen Stefaniās āThe Sweet Escapeā makes you feel. Looking back, the song almost foreshadowed what was to come – Iām so much happier and more carefree now than when I first wrote itā.
In recent years, Lucy’s music has found love on outlets like BBC Radio 1 and NME and also gone viral on TikTok. We’re really excited to see where the future takes this talent… keep her on your radars!
New Music: Jim Gardner
“‘Donāt Leave Because I Love You’ is basically a love letterĀ wrapped in self-awareness.Ā Itās about how overwhelming love can be from both perspectives. Like that kind of deep, head-over-heels feeling where youāre so into someone that you canāt help but go big with your gestures, even if youāre scared it might be too much.”
šµ Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist
XO – Lovesick
āweāre XO, and weāre probably the most chaotic girlband youāve ever met in your life.ā
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Sigrid – Two Years
“‘Why did you let me go, when you want to be my woman?’ It was trying to see the situation from another personās point of view, and in that way I could also reflect on my own perspective.ā
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In-Store Tour 2025
- 22nd October Bristol Rough Trade
- 23rd October Nottingham Rough Trade
- 27th October Brighton Resident
- 28th October Kingston Banquet
- 29th October Southhampton Vinilo
- 30th October Liverpool Rough Trade
Ed Sheeran Loop Tour – North America 2026
- 18th July Las Vegas, NV Allegiant Stadium
- 21st July San Diego, CA Petco Park
- 25th July Santa Clara, CA Leviās Stadium
- 1st August Seattle, WA Lumen Field
- 8th August Los Angeles, CA Sofi Stadium