In The Spotlight

Alissa May – “Bye Bye Liar”

Born as Melissa Janssen in Eindhoven, this Dutch singer/songwriter started as a child pretending to be on Idols and singing into a karaoke set. She then began taking singing lessons and evolved to uploading covers to YouTube. At 15 she won The Next Pop Talent on Dutch TV station SBS6 and three years later she reached the semi-finals of The Voice Of Holland. Inspired by powerful voices such as Tina Turner, Billie Eilish and Beth Hart, she released her debut “Don’t Leave Me” in 2020.

Singing about taking back control of your destiny in a bad relationship, despite the liar inside yourself telling you that your life is over, her new single is a fierce example of empowering self-acceptance. Taken from her EP “Live At Barberios”, she first paints an emotive picture with a mellow piano and her soft voice, before passionately bursting out with pure rock flair. With blazing percussion, melodic guitars and her fiery vocals, this vigorous rock groove is pure lyrical and sonic grandiosity.

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In The Spotlight

FLEECE – “How Far Would You Go”

Formed in 2013 when Matthew Rogers, Ethan Soil and Gabe Miller left to study at Concordia University, this Canadian band takes indie-rock and dips it in pop and jazz hues. Gabe Miller has since left and the band is now completed with Megan Ennenberg and Jameson Daniel. They’ve performed at venues like House Of Blues and the Brooklyn Bowl and festivals such as BottleRock and Musikfest. Inspired by The Pixies, Tame Impala and Bon Iver, they debuted with their album “Scavenger” in 2015.

Capturing the rush of budding love and the thrill those new emotions conjure up, their new single is a delicious concoction of dreamy pop, colourful psychedelia and a sprinkling of laid-back jazz. Taken from their upcoming album “TORNADO”, expected on October 1st, the song kicks off softly with some inviting electric guitar strums. Coming alive in the vibrant chorus, it’s the sprightly rhythm, playful keys and airy vocals that makes this carefree sonic cocktail taste extra delectable.

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In The Spotlight

Remember Monday – “Happier”

Consisting of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, this British trio met in college and bonded over a shared love for music. They all gained stage experience by performing in various musicals. Formed in 2013 as Houston, they changed their name in 2018 and appeared on The Voice UK a year later. In 2025 they represented the UK at Eurovision with “What The Hell Just Happened?”. Inspired by The Chicks, Taylor Swift and Alison Krauss, they debuted with “Drive” in 2018.

Singing about having dealt with all the stages of grief after a breakup and being left with sheer joy and a renewed positivity for the future, their new single is an empowering anthem. Starting emotional with an ABBA-esque piano and their intricately layered harmonies, the song finds an elated bounce in the chorus with a reggae-infused pop melody. While celebrating their new-found freedom, their sophisticated vocal fusion douses this gleeful infectious groove in radiant summery vibes.

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In The Spotlight

Shambolics – “Dancing On The Streets Of Raith”

Hailing from Fife and Glasgow-based, this Scottish rock band was formed in 2018 by school friends Darren Forbes and Lewis McDonald. The additional line-up has changed a few times over the years. Known for their energetic live shows, they’ve played sold-out headline shows at venues like The Garage and King Tut’s, as well as festivals such as Isle of Wight, TRNSMT and LeeStock. Inspired by Oasis, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys, they released their debut “Chasing A Disaster” in 2019.

Written as a homage to their hometown Kirkcaldy, their new single is filled with genuine nostalgia and pride. Adopted by local football team Raith Rovers and with their rock roots still present, this song is layered with a touch of Scottish folk. Inviting us on their trip down memory lane is a mellow acoustic guitar, before upping the ante with rolling drums and imposing electric guitars. And with a rich bagpipes section and his sentimental vocals, this glorious anthem sounds monumental.

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In The Spotlight

Lydia von Hof – “She”

Originally from Long Island, NY, this singer and songwriter has been fanatic about music her whole life. She started classical piano lessons aged 6 and began composing aged 10. At 16 she ventured into performing at local venues and entering competitions. These led to her performing at Madison Square Garden and at the Hard Rock Café in Boston. Now based in Nashville, TN, she’s attended Belmont University studying songwriting. She released her debut “Find Me There” in 2021.

Exploring a different kind of love, her new single is not a love letter to a lover but to a true friend. Taken from her recently released EP “The Strange, The Unusual”, she lyrically explains the overwhelming feelings attached to seeing that special person after a long time apart. Drawing us in with mighty electric guitar strums, the song blends punchy pop with raw rock. With driving percussion and her authentic vocals, this hardy groove is filled with refreshing honesty and pure sonic pizzazz.

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In The Spotlight

goodheart – “Silverspoon Sunday”

Hailing from Toronto, this Canadian singer/songwriter began writing songs as a kid to give a voice to her feelings and never looked back. Realizing that she hadn’t seen many women who produced their own songs while she was growing up, she decided to start producing her own material as well as writing and performing it. In 2022 she received Factor’s Artist Development grant. Inspired by artists like HAIM, Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers, she debuted with “Back To You” in 2021.

Shining a light on privilege and the passivity of the expectation of an excess of comfort, her new single is confrontationally honest. Taken from her recently released EP “Blue And Other Colours”, the song is an intricate amalgam of pop, rock and a dash of folk. Layered with a buoyant percussion and bright, almost singing, electric guitars, it’s an emotive and polished melody. And with her sleek vocals dancing over the notes, this rich tune radiates a warmth, while remaining poignant.

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