“‘PLM’ is about holding love and fear in the same breath. I wrote it during pregnancy, a time rarely represented in the music I grew up with. It’s a song about becoming – not disappearing – as a woman, an artist, and a mother.”
LALA HAYDEN | Ones To Watch Playlist
If you’re in need of a tonic to soothe your midweek blues, then we have the perfect song for you, courtesy of US-based singer and songwriter Celina Savage.
As a student at the iconic Berklee College of Music, we could safely assume that this 19-year-old talent already has a bright future ahead of her, especially if we consider her new single, ‘Baby Names’.
This is a charming indie-folk song that carries its beauty in its simplicity. Listeners can enjoy sincere storytelling, soft vocals, and a comforting style of sound. On the track, Celina explains:
“‘Baby Names’ is a hopeful song about growing old and simultaneously closer with someone. An idealized future image I’ve held since I was young. I’ve had a dream baby name for as long as I can remember. This song was written when I met someone of that same name and couldn’t help but imagine what my future could have in store for me.”
The song is lifted from Celina’s debut album of the same name, which you can stream here.
Villő is a type of artist that we rarely have the pleasure of discovering, so we’re very excited to be sharing her work with you today. Cited as the ‘Aurora of Hungary’, this promising 23-year-old singer and songwriter is already receiving acclaim in both her home nation and across Europe.
‘Léleklények’, which translates to ‘Soul Beings’, is a sublime piece of music that showcases some of the finest dream-pop that we’ve heard so far this year. The sound is ethereal in character and elevates the listener to an almost transcendent state. Lyrically, the track centres around the idea that as humans, we simply exist as spiritual beings, encased in a body of flesh.
The song is lifted from Villő’s forthcoming debut LP, ‘Madárlány’, which is scheduled for release on the 13th March 2026. In the meantime, you can listen to more of this artist’s work right here.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
The Bay Area has long been known as the home of some of America’s most interesting hip hop outfits (think Hieroglyphics, 415, and Luniz). This rich heritage still continues to this day with newcomers like southpaw, who recently came across our radars.
This artist creates lo-fi hip hop that, despite sounding mellow and stripped-back, still carries a tonne of impact. New single ‘? Myself’ is a refreshingly original collaboration with fellow emerging talent Era 51 and shows us the finest of what the area’s underground scene has to offer right now.
southpaw is currently working on a new record, but in the meantime you can explore more of their music (including the 2024 EP ‘Pugilists Anonymous’) right here.
Originally from Barcelona, ARNAU is a promising newcomer who recently caught our attention with his impressive songwriting skills. Currently based in London, this talent crafts thoughtful pop songs that are both melodically and lyrically engaging.
‘How Can You Love Me?’ is a song that addresses the disconnect between what society perceives love to be, versus the reality of being in a relationship. The message is all the more pertinent in this age of dating apps, when we are sold an idea of love that is often too simplistic.
“Its central message revolves around the illusion of idealised love and the inevitable disappointment that comes from chasing a perfect, film-like version of romance that doesn’t exist. It explores how people can fall in love with fantasies (especially in a world shaped by dating apps) loving the idea of someone more than who they truly are. The song reflects on the fragility of these instant connections, the emotional turbulence that arises when reality replaces fantasy, and the realisation that a love built on projection and idealisation is ultimately unsustainable.”
More singles are scheduled for release this year, but in the meantime be sure to explore more of ARNAU’s work here.
We’re starting the week with a soulful slice of French R&B from Parisian musician Jena Teba.
Crafted in collaboration with the equally talented Nigerian artist Tucee, ‘Sur ma peau’ delights listeners with a minimal yet sultry production that oozes finesse. What’s even more impressive is that the track incorporates elements of Afro-soul for some added sonic texture, resulting in quite the mesmerising sound.
“‘Sur ma peau’ is about capturing the feeling that words can’t express – the intimacy, desire, and emotion that linger between two people. Every note, every nuance is meant to be felt as much as heard.” – Jena Teba
Despite the song being produced across two different nations: France and Nigeria, it feels cohesive and flows with a natural flair. While Teba is still a fresh talent with only two singles on Spotify to date, we think she has tonnes of potential to hit her country’s mainstream very soon!
Victor Longato is an interesting newcomer to have come across our radars this week, who we’re quite excited to be sharing with you.
Longato is a South American–British talent with a style of work that fuses Jersey Club beats with electronic pop and R&B. The music is multi-dimensional and unexpected, with plenty of intriguing sonic textures.
‘Freaked’ is the artist’s debut single and is inspired by ‘the chaotic spiral of being ghosted’. In the short time since its release, it has raised Longato’s awareness over social media significantly, amassing thousands of views and plays across TikTok and Instagram.
An upcoming EP titled ‘Sensory Overload’ is on the way. Until then, be sure to follow this promising artist on his social channels!
East x West is a new independent label with a focus on showcasing British-Estonian alternative artists. Despite only launching this year, they’ve already signed some interesting talents – one of which is a 5-piece outfit from Tallinn called Town Flesh.
‘There’s a Last Time for Everything’ (a spin on the classic saying ‘there’s a first time for everything’) is the band’s new single – and the label’s inaugural release.
The track presents listeners with a refreshingly original indie-rock sound that carries with it the rawness of 90s Britpop and the playfulness of 60s pop. The result is a song that is not only sonically unique but also unexpectedly charming – despite its pessimistic title!
East x West was started by Issy Hughes, who is known for their work with the BBC, and Sander Varusk from Estonia’s Raadio 2.
French outfit MUSYS is so new that we really struggled to find out much about who they are, but that hasn’t stopped us from wanting to feature them on the site.
It seems that ‘Sitting in the dark’ is their first single, and it’s really quite wonderful. Melancholic, sincere and pensive, this song presents us with a thoughtful production that fuses electronic pop with soft indie tones.
The intention is for the track to feel like ‘a tired heartbeat that still refuses to give up’, and we can absolutely feel that essence. For anyone who is experiencing loneliness from a broken heart, this song is your new comfort.
Natalie Reigo is a hugely promising newcomer from Sweden, who has already won us over with her charming style of R&B-pop.
‘Til The Moment’s Gone’ is Natalie’s anthemic new single and is inspired by the pressures of not missing out on life… and experiencing that all-too-familiar FOMO feeling.
“When I wrote it, it helped me through the feeling of FOMO and feeling like I should be somewhere else just because other people are!”
Natalie’s vocals are beautifully expressive and soulful, while the production is polished and sleek. Still only 19-years old and already amassing more than 1.5 million career streams on Spotify, it’s clear that this is a Nordic talent to keep an eye on.
Natalie Reigo | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist
“I was in my bedroom listening to YouTube instrumentals and the chorus came instantly then I immediately booked a session with my producer. I’ve only released 1 song but I feel I’ve developed a sound especially around using live instrumentation, my debut single opened with a violin and we got a session musician to play the bass which was the heartbeat of the track. This time round we got a musician to play the guitar, which is the prominent sound throughout the whole track. I hope to one day release a full track with just live instrumentation. I have such a respect and reverence for real instruments in music and feel they really add another layer, bringing music to life. This track is quite moody and angsty and showcases how love can turn us back into those brooding teenagers we once were demanding for someone to love us back.”
One of the standout debuts of the week has to be ‘Run’ by German-born artist Molly Mogul.
A master of many talents, Mogul is not only a singer but also a songwriter and multidisciplinary performance artist who crafts experimental pop pieces inspired by their life experiences and travels. On the creation of ‘Run’, she says:
“One of the first demos written on my own out of my camper van in Bristol, the song is a reminder that you can’t outrun your fears and eventually the things you don’t look at will catch up on you. Whether it’s in relationship to yourself or other. At the end what’s left is yourself. Minimalistic demo turned into a more energetic track with the second verse going more into a club scenario / frantic atmosphere of escapism.”
Mogul has already won the seal of approval from respected tastemaker outlets like 1883 Magazine and COLORS, confirming her to be a talent worth keeping on your radars. More songs are scheduled for release throughout the spring, culminating in an album in April.
We’ve got a new and exciting Danish musical project to share with you today, going by the name of muuk – the solo project of artist Ines Roervig Lewkovitch.
‘i’m no soldier’ is muuk’s debut single. It presents listeners with a thoughtfully constructed alt-pop production that builds intensity as the song evolves, while also showcasing Lewkovitch’s captivating vocals.
“‘i’m no soldier’ relates to loneliness creeping in on life and the realization and acceptance of needing support from your loved ones.”
The track was created alongside close friend Andreas Jaaks, who also served as the producer.
“‘i’m no soldier’ went very smoothly at first, until we suddenly got stuck to a point where we almost left it in drawer. I think that’s kind of funny, because that sums up the song pretty well. Feeling stuck in life, getting real low, and losing every hope of finding joy.”
Despite this still being muuk’s first release, we’re very excited to see how the project evolves over the coming year.
