Newbury, MA’s rising pop force Ava Valianti returns with a punchy, unapologetic anthem in 'Hot Mess'. At just 16, Ava channels her raw honesty and indie-pop edge into a track that’s chaotic, cathartic, and totally self-aware. Known for singles like 'Middle Ground' and 'Buttercups', Ava continues carving out a space where imperfection is power. Playful yet poignant, 'Hot Mess' is a bold reminder to embrace your chaos and own your story.

Rising artist Truman returns with the quietly powerful new single 'Tell Him', a stripped-back collaboration with Isabel that drips with vulnerability. Built on airy percussion and ambient textures, the track thrives in its restraint, letting emotion breathe between the lines. Directed by Oscar®-qualifying filmmaker Saul Abraham (ENJOY), the music video deepens the emotional weight. Adolescent boys mouth the lyrics directly to camera, intercut with touching footage of Truman a

Hackney-born artist J Appiah steps into his own light with the release of his debut album 'That’s the Thing About Time'. The record blends soul, R&B, and cinematic textures shaped by personal growth, world travels, and Appiah’s Ghanaian heritage. Alongside the album comes powerful lead single 'Father', a raw and reflective piece inspired by the passing of Appiah’s estranged dad, released just days after Appiah became a father himself. Having toured the globe as a vocalist for

SVMMI’s 'Almost Forever' is the moment an artist steps out from behind the spotlight of polish and performance to sing straight from the ache. Her debut EP is only three tracks long, yet it feels like a full-length emotional arc that traces the shadow of a relationship that never had the chance to bloom. In an era where heartbreak is often reduced to slick hooks and punchline-ready one-liners, SVMMI leans into sincerity, fragility, and the tender places that hurt because they

From the first pulse of drums and shimmer of synths, j dylan paul’s debut single “sisyphean” feels like standing at the foot of a mountain. The track traces a seven-year journey from a simple instrumental to a fully realised piece of emotional honesty. paul started the track back in 2018 and over the years brought it to life with vocals, live drums, and real guitars. Inspired by the myth of Sisyphus and the idea of imagining him happy in his endless task, the single translate

Bren.d.o: Southern Illinois’ Neo-Soul Storyteller Readies His Breakout Moment Southern Illinois native Brendan “Bren.d.o” Jennings is closing out 2025 with the momentum of an artist on the verge of a defining breakthrough. His alt-R&B and neo-soul fusion has already drawn national attention, bolstered by two iTunes-charting singles — ‘Electric Love Affair’ featuring Kendra Chanae and the bass-driven ‘Boom Boom’ — positioning him as one of the year’s most promising new voices.

Zay Jackson is entering a new chapter with his latest EP Cheat Code , and it feels like the point where all his strengths click into place. The Virginia artist has been steadily growing a reputation for clean vocal runs, a smooth falsetto, and lyrics that cut to the core without trying too hard. This project doubles down on all of that. It is a six track experience built around a relationship that should have never started, and Zay takes listeners through every high, mistake,

London’s genre-blurring quartet The Open Wild return with “Escape,” a track that feels both intimate and cinematic in equal measure. The band have always excelled at pairing heartfelt songwriting with rich, orchestral textures, but “Escape” pushes that fusion into even more immersive territory. It is a song built from vulnerability, shaped by personal struggle, and lifted by the collective strength of four musicians who understand how to translate emotion into sound. “Escape”

Kansas City rock outfit The Whips return with 'Together in Agony', their first release since frontman Max Cooper’s four-chair audition on The Voice earlier this year. The single, out now via Midtopia, marks a deliberate shift away from TV spectacle toward the band’s roots as a self-contained creative unit. Written by Max Indiveri and recorded in the group’s 10x10 bedroom studio, the track unfolds like a slow emotional burn, unveiling a portrait of two people staying in someth

In today's expansive landscape of music, there are records you listen to - and records that draw you into their living, breathing world. Liron Meyuhas' 'Sunrise to Sunset' sits within that second world. The record is a quiet, expansive meditation where rhythm becomes a companion to light, and the day reveals itself one gentle pulse at a time. As Israel's first female hang drum artist, Meyuhas has a rich background in music as a healing and connecting way of creation. 'Sunrise

Photo Credit: Daniëlle Weener Following the release of their latest single, 'Seventeen', Flex caught up with Dutch brothers Baby Condor to find out what influences their unique sound, blending pop, country, folk, and indie. If you enjoy Baby Condor's picks, be sure to check out 'Seventeen' at the end of the article. 1. Beach Boys - God Only Knows One of our favourite songwriters, Brian Wilson took pop music to the next level with his 1966 Pet Sounds album. Filled with beautif

For Nikki Ambers, “I Believe” isn’t just another pop anthem—it’s a powerful testament to resilience and self-discovery. Having recently been diagnosed with epilepsy, Ambers has faced a challenge that could have easily overshadowed her artistry. Instead, she has harnessed this moment of vulnerability as a source of creative energy, channeling her emotions into a single that brims with hope and determination. “Instead of letting it hold me back, I feel more determined than ever

With her latest single 'To Stay', London's Sasha Joy delivers the kind of performance that stops you mid-stride and demands your full attention. It’s the sound of an artist no longer hinting at her potential but fully inhabiting it, crafting a single that radiates emotional clarity, musical sophistication, and a vocal presence that feels nothing short of magnetic. From its first seconds, 'To Stay' moves with an elegant self-assurance. The groove is supple and warm, built from

If the debut LP 'Rehab Rock' was the cry for help and follow-up 'Pink Cloud Pop' the spark of hope, then 'Shiny Songs' is the full-blown sunrise. With this 21-track conclusion to his self-forged “Recovery Records Trilogy,” Hot Mud (the wonderfully oddball creation of Ottawa musician Muddy Watters) delivers his most dazzling, self-assured work yet. Across the trilogy, Hot Mud has always felt like an artist chronicling his own resurrection in real time. But 'Shiny Songs' is dif

Photo: Apertunes Oliver Pinder has always known how to break your heart with elegance, but on 'millionaire', he does the opposite. He blows the doors off his own emotional universe and lets pure, unfiltered joy come storming out. This is Pinder at his most ecstatic, most open-armed, most ready to sprint headfirst into the sun. And it suits him beautifully. If his earlier releases carved out the softer, bruised corners of love, 'millionaire' is the moment he throws the past ou

The Lunar Keys have always been a band wired for intensity, but 'Pure As Your Protocol' feels like the moment they plug directly into the mainframe and blow a fuse on purpose. Their latest single, produced with Grammy winner Brendan Dekora, is an electrifying collision of human instability and digital precision, a track that thrums with the friction between circuitry and soul. Where previous releases leaned into raw, pulse-racing alt-rock, this one arrives sharper, darker, an

With her first outing 'Thinking of You', Toronto newcomer Mahta steps onto the indie stage with a confidence that feels earned. Her debut single is a luminous collision of dreamlike shimmer, alt-rock weight, and singer-songwriter sincerity. From the opening seconds, Mahta builds an atmosphere heavy with emotion yet feather-light in texture. Reverb-kissed chords hang in the air like fog, while her soft but steady voice traces the contours of longing with delicate precision. Th

Cork’s own Jason Busteed returns in triumphant form with “Paradise,” a radiant slice of dance-pop euphoria that reaffirms why he remains one of Ireland’s most quietly influential producers. Released through his label Lefty Shades Records, the track captures the emotional uplift and rhythmic finesse that have defined Busteed’s two-decade career behind the decks. “Paradise” wastes no time establishing its intentions. Bold, insistent drums propel the track forward before opening

Gold Coast pop artist Chloe Styler strips back the gloss and dives deep into raw emotion on her new single 'Placeholder'. Known for her shimmering melodies and heartfelt lyrics, Styler trades bright energy for quiet reflection, delivering a song that aches with honesty. Built on warm acoustic guitar, subtle mandolin, and gliding electric textures, 'Placeholder' captures the heartbreak of realising you were never truly chosen, only kept around. Following the momentum of 'Push

UK singer-songwriter Joshua Hawkes returns with his most personal offering to date, 'Carry It All', an emotionally charged indie-rock anthem that explores the quiet burdens of growing up in a turbulent home. Drawing inspiration from the widescreen guitars of Sam Fender and the expansive textures of The War on Drugs, Hawkes balances vulnerability with soaring, cinematic soundscapes. With shimmering guitars, cathartic drums, and lyrics that cut to the bone, 'Carry It All' is a