Browsing Tag

Pop

Just Xris Painted a Sun-Soaked Memory With His Acoustic Folk Pop Debut, ‘Mother Leah’

Posted on 19 March 2025

With his debut single, Mother Leah, the up-and-coming singer-songwriter Just Xris turns nostalgia into melody, offering a vignette steeped in warmth and reverence. His folksy acoustic pop signature runs parallel to the introspective musings of Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, but the heart of his sound beats entirely in its own time. Every note lands softly, yet speaks volumes, unburdened by excessive amplification.

Rooted in childhood weekends spent on a farm called Leah near Ellisras (now Lephalale), Mother Leah is a sonic love letter to the people and places that shaped him. Those early days of exploring nature, working hard, and sharing unforgettable moments with family and friends fuel the song’s reverie-rich melodies. There’s nothing but love and adoration reverberating through the single, which allows you to imagine what Elliott Smith’s discography might sound like if it were soaked in serotonin, yet not drowning out the affecting quiescent vocal inflections.

Music has been a lifelong passion for Just Xris, first sparked at age 13 when his mother gifted him her old nylon-string guitar. After spending his teenage years playing in a band, he finally took the leap into music production, leading to the release of Mother Leah on January 21, 2025. Blending folk, country, and indie influences, his succinctly sweet melodies speak volumes without excessive embellishment. Whatever he delivers next, we will want to devour it.

Mother Leah is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

CALEBAKACNOTE Raises the Stakes on Hyper Pop with ‘Forever’

Posted on 16 March 2025

CALEBAKACNOTE isn’t interested in half-measures, and his latest single, Forever, makes that abundantly clear. With a hyper pop structure that spirals skyward, guided by faith, hope, and sheer force of will, the single transforms a bitter-sweet trap pop heartbeat into a track you can effortlessly get into sync with.

The future-forward production melds effortlessly with the pitch-perfect harmonies, creating an electronic pulse that refuses to settle into the background. There’s no divide between the melody and the emotion—it’s all stitched together in a way that makes Forever one of the most affecting pop hits of 2025. The track doesn’t waste time on empty sentimentality; instead, it builds on realism, offering a resonantly grounded take on 21st century relationship dynamics.

CALEBAKACNOTE’s instinctive approach to pop draws from a genre-fluid background, his sound fuses pop, R&B, gospel, and alternative influences into a unique sonic signature you will want scribed through your playlists. His refusal to be confined extends beyond the music—his presence in the creative world spans songwriting, production, and visual storytelling, ensuring that his artistry is as immersive as it is immediate.

It’s rare to find a hyper pop track that lingers without gimmicks, but Forever is an earworm with substance, engineered for longevity. Whether it pulls you in for the euphoric rush or the lyrical weight, one thing’s certain—it won’t let go.

Stream Forever on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JNDJ Spun Reflections of Liberation into a Riff-Charged Pop Rock Anthem with ‘Mirrors’

Posted on 12 March 2025

JNDJ’s latest single Mirrors throws open the windows to let the light in while ripping through the airwaves with an unmistakable alt-90s edge. The track eases in with a dreamy jangle pop melody before slamming into full riff-charged momentum, intensifying the (literally and figuratively) reflective lyricism. The mix of heavy rock energy and Latin pop spirit adds an anthemic, emotionally raw quality, making every note hit with intention.

With its emancipating, bolstered with lyrical gold, Mirrors is the ultimate pick-me-up, freeing listeners from the toxic ties of negative perception. The bilingual vocals carve another layer into the liberating single, reinforcing its message of resilience and clarity.

For Julissa and Jesse Girardi, music has been a lifelong pursuit—one that led them through the highs of industry success before disillusionment pushed them to seek deeper meaning. After rediscovering their purpose, JNDJ returned with a sound that leans into their ability to create music that resonates far beyond surface-level appeal. Mirrors proves that when they step up to the mic, they ignite something transformative.

If JNDJ had risen alongside Garbage, Texas, and The Cranberries, they’d already be in the same breath of recognition. If you’re looking for a band that knows how to pull you from the depths and shake you back to life, this is the one to follow.

Stream the official video for Mirrors on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nissu Illuminates the Power of Reminiscence with ‘Memories’

Posted on 11 March 2025

The classic emotional wreckage of a pop ballad gets a sleek, modernist refit in Nissu’s single Memories, the title track of his debut EP. With tendrils of progressive house pop coiling around its core, the Dublin-based Brazilian artist doesn’t just aim for impact—he ensures every beat, every note, every carefully curated swell of emotion lands with undeniable sincerity.

There’s a rawness to Memories that refuses to be polished out by its glossy production. Nissu doesn’t sugar-coat the inevitable lows of life, but instead acknowledges them as a necessary passage to the kind of euphoric highs that make it all worth enduring. With an intimately consoling vocal delivery, he takes the fleeting nature of existence and spins it into something meaningful—because, in the end, it’s the moments we collect that define us.

With Trey Vittetoe (Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez) at the production helm, Memories finds itself in expert hands, bridging contemporary and nostalgic pop influences with seamless ease. The track sits among an EP packed with deeply personal reflections, including Connection, a pandemic-era tribute to resilience featuring a music video that celebrates LGBTQ+ unity, and Yourself, an empowerment-driven collaboration with UK rapper Paigey Cakey.

Memories is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Holly Wilks’ ‘Me (and all the versions I’ve never been)’ Holds a Mirror to the Inescapable

Posted on 9 March 2025

Never one to scratch at the surface of superficiality with her lyricism, Holly Wilks is building a legacy by piecing together the fragments of the human experience, allowing her fans to see the bigger picture. Her latest single, Me (and all the versions I’ve never been), may be ethereal, but its weightlessness doesn’t detract from its impact. The melancholy within the lyrics cascades through the dreamy ambient hues, nodding to contemporary pop trends before drifting beyond the mould.

With razor-sharp confessions that affirm just how much painful introspection was poured into the release, Wilks is guaranteed to ease coming-of-age pains. Any fans of Mitski and Lucy Dacus will instantly feel at home within the bitter-sweet vignette, which explores how our deepest longings aren’t for material possession, idealised romantic dynamics, or status—it’s being the best version of ourselves, with no idea how to get there.

“I’m smaller than I’m meant to be” is a lyric that will haunt me for the rest of time. Amid widescreen indie melodies and smoky, ageless vocals, raw obsessive thoughts oscillate through the release which occupies instrumental spaces other songwriters wouldn’t dare to fill. If you’re tired of songs that skim the surface, Wilks is waiting with a track that cuts deep.

Me is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Wil Hinkson’s ‘Mystic Cries’ Holds the Stillness of the Cosmos

Posted on 8 March 2025

Wil Hinkson’s latest single, Mystic Cries (The Mystic Cries) isn’t in any rush to prove itself. Instead, it lets the weight of its tranquillity settle, making space for listeners to breathe in its celestial echoes. With classic pop foundations softened by jazz’s fluidity, the soundscape never forces transcendence—it simply allows it. The layers move like shifting constellations, effortless yet intentional, with no trace of ego shaping the composition.

Hinkson, the sole architect of the piece—writing, performing, and producing—delivers something that feels both unshaken and boundless. His vocals don’t overreach; they resonate with the kind of ease that makes every note feel inevitable. The track’s poetry leans towards perception-shifting rather than indulgent introspection, guiding rather than dictating. Fans of Peter Gabriel’s contemplative atmospheres will find comfort in its restraint.

In a world that demands constant movement, Mystic Cries offers stillness without emptiness. It’s a rare thing—a song that doesn’t just accompany reflection but facilitates it, giving the listener permission to detach from the grind and let their soul feel whole.

Mystic Cries is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

To discover more about Wil Hinkson, visit his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Maria Heivang’s ‘When I Had You’ Hits Like a Wave of Regret

Posted on 7 March 2025

Like a breath of introspectively fresh air, Maria Heivang’s debut single, When I Had You, locks you into its intimacy from the outset, sharing the singer-songwriter’s smoking pains as she paints a vignette of loneliness and regret. This is far more than a standard exhibition of heartbreak—waves of reverberation ripple from the post-production to mimic the blindsiding nature of loss, amplifying the ache in every line. Even with the vocal treatment pulling her voice in line with the electro-pop instrumentals, the emotive sting in her delivery refuses to be dulled.

Born and raised in the Winter Olympic town of Lillehammer, Heivang has recently relocated to Manchester to take her career to the zenith it deserves. With her debut single, which hit the airwaves on the 27th of February, she created plenty of anticipation for her forthcoming EP, ARGH in love, which will unfold throughout the year. She describes the track as a reflection on not appreciating something good until it’s gone, a sentiment delivered with Nordic charm and alt-pop bite.

Her music carries the juxtaposition of emotional restraint and vulnerability, channelled through icy electronic textures and raw lyricism; if you’re unwilling to compromise between style and substance on your alt-pop playlists, When I Had You is a necessary addition.

Stream the single on YouTube now. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leah Nawy’s ‘ordinary’ Turns Vulnerability into a Cinematic Spectacle

Posted on 5 March 2025

With all the intimacy of an impromptu demo recorded in a moment of creative ignition, ‘ordinary’ by Leah Nawy is anything but. The indie folk-pop progression is cinematically ornate, building crescendos that ooze the golden age of Hollywood while the duality running through the track keeps its emotional weight balanced on a knife edge.

With a vocal range that floats between seraphic and soul-stirring, she lets the narrative unfold syllable by syllable, pulling listeners deeper into an introspective world full of bitter-sweet, close-to-the-bone confessions. Within the abstract poetry of ‘ordinary’, tendrils of insecurity, uncertainty, desire, and regret intertwine, painting a panoramic view of what it means to be human in an era where meaning is something we have to define for ourselves.

A songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with deep roots in rock and classical music, Nawy’s ability to craft arrangements that feel instinctively right is second nature. From her time playing Jersey Shore venues to earning her Master’s at Berklee NYC, her refined ear and raw experience shine through in every note.

‘ordinary’ is the kind of song you hear once, feel your existence affirmed by, and refuse to let go of.

The single is now on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Specyal T & Chasing Sunday Plug into Electro-Pop with ‘Automatic’

Posted on 5 March 2025

Specyal T and Chasing Sunday didn’t come to play it safe with ‘Automatic’. The neon-stroked electro-pop earworm grips with an irresistible bassline and the illusion of what The Doors might have been if Jim Morrison had stumbled into the synth-pop era with his seductive vocal swagger. Sticky-sweet in all the right places yet sharp enough to cut through the usual pop formula, it’s a track built to cling to the subconscious.

Specyal T, the Toronto-based Caribbean-Canadian musician, composer, and producer, has spent years making waves across North America and Europe. With tracks rotating on CBC Radio 1 and placements in TV and film, she’s made a name for herself by stepping outside comfort zones. ‘Automatic’ keeps that tradition alive. It’s more than a drenched-out dose of euphony—it flips the script on image-based prejudice while celebrating diversity with an eccentric edge that few dare to take on.

In a world as fractured as ours, ‘Automatic’ isn’t just another pop hit—it’s an essential earworm capable of filling the empathy void that has become a global endemic.

‘Automatic’ is out now on all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Eve Berry Sinks into the Shadows of Situationships with her debut single, ‘back to you’

Posted on 4 March 2025

Eve Berry has hit the pop sphere running with her ethereally dreamy 2010s textures and equally seraphic vocal lines, commanding their way through layers of reverb to entrench the illuminated melodies with emotion that aches with the kind of pain only a cyclical romance can conjure.

back to you is as confessional as a diary entry, an exposition of the darker, often repetitive nature of situationships, where worth is measured in how much time you can kill by their side—until someone shinier walks by. Eve spoke the unspoken, unearthing how the push and pull of an imbalanced romance is the ultimate ego death when the other person is always holding all the cards.

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter and producer from the Southside of Glasgow first found her footing in the city’s live music scene, hitting open-mic nights from the age of 11 before drawing influence from songwriters like Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey, and Taylor Swift. Her love for era-defining synth-pop from the 2010s seeps through every note of back to you, a track that carries the weight of nostalgia while feeling like a fresh stab to the heart. Teaching herself guitar before expanding to piano and home production, she built this song from the ground up, knowing it had to be her first release.

For fellow situationship survivors who can’t help but find themselves back where they swore they’d never return, back to you is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast