Hannah Rosa - Alex Spencer - Lauran Hibberd - Alejandra O'Leary

An all female line up today on Beehive Candy starting with Hannah Rosa and 'Fire,' a song that sees her captivating indie pop showcased with style and quality. The merging of jazz and folk music not only works, it's somewhat breathtaking on Alex Spencer's new album 'Shine' which you can stream in full below. 'Hoochie' is the sixth song we have featured by the very talented Isle Of Wight artist Lauren Hibberd, it's as good as any of the others, and we have raved about all of them! Alejandra O'Leary new album 'Everest' comprises of eleven tracks of which 'Wires' is the opener. A gorgeous rocker, it is but just one dimension of this variety packed collection, the musicians are impressive as are the songs and Alejandra's adaptive vocals.

Hannah Rosa - Fire.

Capturing hearts and commanding attention, Brisbane's indie-pop darling Hannah Rosa is back and better than ever with dreamy new single, 'Fire'.

Following up highly praised release 'Hollow', 'Fire' turns up the heat, combining heavenly melodies with a string of soaring synth and guitar lines. With production from  Tristan Hoogland (Golden Vessel, Woodes) and additional production flourishes by Jarryd Shuker (Art of Sleeping, Wyatt), Hannah Rosa's latest is more refined than ever, and nothing short of indie bliss.

Contrasting the upbeat soundscape beneath, lyrically Hannah embellishes on her struggles with self-judgement in the modern age. Hannah explains, “I wrote ‘Fire’ about that uncomfortable feeling you can get scrolling through social media. If you’re depressed, sad or unconfident, it can be confronting and isolating to see people looking happy and living life to the fullest. For me, the track is an antidote to negative self-talk and is a personal reminder that it is always possible to ‘catch alight’ again."

2018's 'Hollow' saw Hannah Rosa rocket to new heights, receiving praise from Pilerats, Blank GC and Wickedd Childd alongside spins on both triple j and triple j Unearthed, and a Highly Commended in the esteemed Queensland Music Awards. Going on to support the likes of Mosquito Coast and Kyle Lionhart, Hannah has also performed tastemaker festivals such as  Brisbane Festival, Queensland Music Festival and Bluesfest Byron Bay.

With more music set to be released later this year, Hannah Rosa will continue to amaze throughout 2019 with her illuminating and wholly refreshing sound.

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Alex Spencer - Shine (album).

Having been away from the active music scene for several years while raising her 4 children, Alex Spencer has returned with a compelling new album, Shine. Teaming up with the stellar Berlin jazz trio of Ben Lehmann (double bass), Martial Frenze (drums) and Paul Engelmann (alto saxophone), Spencer has produced work of change and transformation.

The songs explore juxtapositions between youth and aging, children and parents, technology and humanity – all underpinned by the group’s steady rhythms and mellow tones. Part feel-good jazz, part sophisticated folk, this album stretches its arms wide and brings its themes together around a kitchen table where everyone is welcome.

Growing up in a musical family amongst both the green hills of western England and the forests of southern Germany, Alex Spencer moved to the big city of Berlin after her studies in Philosophy in the summer of 2000.

Between her children and working as a teacher, she has also managed to keep her life and identity as an artist alive, releasing her first album, ‘Underwater’ in 2010 and following it up with ‘Shine’ in 2019. When she's not playing live on the Berlin singer-songwriter gig circuit, Alex can be found walking her dog through Görlitzer Park in her Kreuzberg neighbourhood.

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Lauran Hibberd - Hoochie.

Humorous, infectious and charismatic in equal measure, Isle Of Wight’s rising sensation Lauran Hibberd thrives once more with anthemic single Hoochie, firmly solidifying her growing status within the UK’s emerging indie elite.

Fresh from a widely acclaimed support UK/EU tour alongside US indie rockers Hippo Campus, the singer-songwriter’s care-free new offering arrives ahead of her biggest headline shows to date, festival appearances including Live At Leeds and Hit The North and a slot on the BBC Introducing stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Buzzing across the airwaves with BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Jack Saunders all throwing their support behind the young musician, Lauran’s witty, off-kilter approach continues to attract glowing praise from the online community (The Line Of Best Fit, Clash, The 405) and welcome comparisons to contemporaries including Courtney Barnett and Phoebe Bridgers.

Discussing her slacker-pop single, Hibberd stated: “‘Hoochie’ is a 90’s slang term for a bit of a ‘loose’ woman. It’s also the name of my new hamster. For me, this track is kind of that three-month period, after you’ve stopped hanging out with someone and you realise that actually they were kind of a tool, and that maybe you are alright. I think there’s a confidence in this track lyrically that I’m yet to filter through to my actual life. I’m looking forward to that happening”.

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Alejandra O'Leary - Wires.

There are not many women in rock n’ roll music, let alone women equally confident in pop or rock, in English or Spanish. Alejandra O’Leary was born to a Colombian mother and Irish father and her birth name seemed to check those boxes appropriately. Having a different sounding name and being a woman of color both challenged and shaped her as she grew up listening to crashing waves and Beatles records. Specifically, growing up in Portland, Maine instilled feelings of being both a native and an outsider. “I’ve always been at home with messiness, big emotions and uncertainty,” Alejandra reflects. “I guess that’s why I like rock n roll.”

After moving to Santiago, Chile at age seventeen, Alejandra became infatuated with the idea of creating music and followed her muse across the world for a decade, releasing four albums of original songs, sharing the stage with Guster and Asobi Seksu, and drawing positive nods from outlets like No Depression, PopMatters and Magnet. The sound Alejandra cultivated during this time was an expansive mix of raw rock theatrics, anthemic Top 40 pop melodies, and soulful retro flourishes.

In 2016, Alejandra returned home with her newborn baby to Portland with the intention to record a new album. Never one to follow cookie cutter formulas, she rounded up a group of hand-picked local musicians and sent them demos of her new songs. No other instructions were given, and when they all showed up in the studio, it was made clear that they were going to improvise the song’s final arrangement. Alejandra refers to the band as a pop-up project, asserting “This improvisatory spirit keeps things fresh and thrilling. I find it to be the most enchanting way to create music.”

The resulting recordings have a live-wire feeling to them which reflects their on-the-spot creation. From the twangy 90’s Americana of “Undone” to the shoegazey twilight-rock of “Wires,” EVEREST is packed with a variety of distinctive ‘retronuevo’ sensibilities, yet it’s all indicative of its creators spunky and soulful spirit.

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Whispering Sons - Irina Atanasiu - Pete Gardiner

Whispering Sons power up on 'Hollow' a splendid rocker of a song, where the haunting vocals and Gothic vibes are resplendent. I have to say I am very impressed with Irina Atanasiu's two songs shared below, forget how young she is, this is gorgeous material, that's superbly produced. It was back in 2016 that we featured Pete Gardiner (I genuinely thought it was just a few months back - time flies) anyhow he is back with 'Dangerous People' and it's a rather good song, to say the least.

Whispering Sons - Hollow.

With Whispering Sons’ debut album – Image – the Brussels-based band with Limburg roots hit one out of the park. Their first major release since the EP Endless Party (2015) took fans and critics by storm, which was soon also to be reflected in the Belgian Ultratop charts.

The album came in at number six in the album top 100, and the single ‘Alone’ was voted first place by listeners for the hit list ‘De Afrekening’ [The Countdown] on Studio Brussel for five consecutive weeks and ‘Vox’ on Radio 1 for two weeks. On their own home turf in Belgium, there’s hardly a single venue that isn't obliged to hang a ‘sold out’ sign out on the front door. On stage Whispering Sons wows the crowd every time – that they’ve been named ‘the Best Belgian Band now’ is no fluke.

“This dead land…this mad land…Is this the way the world ends?” singer Fenne Kuppens’ dark, hypnotizing voice never sounded as apocalyptic as in the impressive and devastating single ‘Hollow’. The end-of-days feeling is illustrated in the remarkable video for the track. No demonic four horseman, no bloodthirsty robots or aliens to exterminate humanity, but a serene and peaceful kind of doom… We see youngsters assemble at the tree of life in a desolate desert-like setting. Their trancelike gaze aimed high at the sky that’s about to fall… Death from above… Parting ways together… determined, undaunted, unconcerned… “I’ve been afraid too long, I’ve been afraid too long...”


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Irina Atanasiu - When I Was Young / A Sky of Gray.

Irina Atanasiu is an 18 year old singer-songwriter who is currently based in Brussels, Belgium. She has written over 100 original songs up to date, and seems to effortlessly be able to produce a catchy melody and relatable, thoughtful lyrics to go along with it. Irina loves combining elements of popular music with indie-rock in her songs.  Her music has previously been described as “bubbly pop-rock”, “retro alternative rock” or “teen pop-rock”. Some artists that inspired Irina Atanasiu and influenced her sound are Tyler Joseph and Taylor Swift.

Her debut single “When I Was Young” received a great amount of praise since it was released in November 2018. Irina wrote this song in 20 minutes, while coping with the aftermath of a broken heart. In her debut single, she sings about feelings of betrayal and unexpected heartbreak, from a person she loved very deeply. Moreover, she also explores feelings of nostalgia, and a longing for innocence and a simpler time. Her song brought Irina Atanasiu to 1st place for alternative music in her city on ReverbNation and 2nd place nationally.

On the 15th of April 2019, her second single “A Sky of Gray” was released. This song explores a darker side of Irina’s life. “This song is very different yet similar to “When I Was Young””, she says. “It explores some struggles I have had throughout my adolescence coping with anxiety and depression and how these emotions were essentially linked to my past experiences and relationships. I’ve had a number of negative experiences in my romantic and personal life, and these are explored in great depth in my music.” says Irina.

Irina Atanasiu aims to release an EP featuring 5 songs in the summer of 2019. “Every song in my EP tells a different story, and shows a different part of who I am. I hope that by talking about my experiences and thoughts I can inspire other people and raise awareness about different topics which are very important to me such as mental illness, and bullying. That’s the reason I got into music, after all, to inspire others and give a voice to the underdog” she says.



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Pete Gardiner - Dangerous People.

Pete Gardiner is a rarity, a true songsmith, a poet who sets his stories to music. Pete writes about doomed, alcohol fuelled love affairs, our celebrity obsessed culture, vanity, greed, violence and lust with a style and passion inspired by his songwriting heroes Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen.

Growing up in Northern Ireland in the 90’s, there was no shortage of subject matter for Pete’s unique ability with words. New single Dangerous People (coming out May 17th) interprets the madness depicted in world news headlines into three minutes of dramatic Americana influenced folk storytelling.

Pete goes on to say that, “The song follows a man driven to the brink of madness by our current political climate coupled with his own inner turmoil and anxiety. He wants some company and he does his best to hide his darker personality traits from the woman he desires. However, with each passing chorus, his true nature becomes more evident.

I wanted to write something in the style of Leonard Cohen's “Everybody Knows” where the lyrics somehow say everything about where we are in the world without being specific about anything.”

His early demos, which gained support from local BBC radio, caught the attention of a major UK radio group, who then tipped off a record label, which resulted in Pete signing his first recording contract. Pete’s debut album, recorded with award winning Irish producer Tommy McLaughlin (The Villagers), earned great reviews and the first single ‘Idols’ was featured in ‘Record of the Day’. The follow up, All These Things, was picked up by BBC Radio 2 by presenter Janice Long. Pete plays a live show to celebrate the single’s launch on May 16th at The Bedford, Balham, London.

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The Last Bees - Another Sky - Sofia - Vilde

The self titled E.P. from The Last Bees comprises of six unashamedly Beatles influenced songs, and what's more each one is a delight to listen to. A couple of days after the music video for 'The Cracks' was put out and Another Sky are already well into the thousands of views, this is a band getting considerable attention for all the right reasons. From Finland we have Sofia and 'Heavy' the title track from her E.P due next week, this smooth and engaging song bodes well for what's to follow. 'Sardines' from Vilde is just so likable, the video adding even more, if this is weird pop, then I am all for plenty of weird pop.

The Last Bees - The Last Bees (E.P).

Countless bands have cited the Beatles as inspiration, but few have recaptured their early sound with the same attention to detail as The Last Bees.

Milwaukee-based Ian Ash grew up soaking up the sounds of Summerfest every year and it wasn’t long before he was a fixture in bands that were grabbing supporting slots in the festival. Ash was exposed to a great deal of excellent live music as he began formulating his own ideas about his vocation. Seeing modern day artists like Greta Van Fleet capturing the sound of 70’s Led Zeppelin and Pokey LaFarge making an impact with pre-1950’s ragtime, he sensed the undeniable scent of nostalgia in the air and decided to go full throttle on his love for early Beatles.

With sweet, melodic music becoming scarce, Ash dedicated himself to producing songs that tapped into a kind of youthful vulnerability that has all but vanished. Music that harks back to a time not so different from our current culture; a time when people also needed a positive, uplifting release from the vicissitudes of a world changing so quickly.

He unapologetically crafted a collection of sticky, retro, low-fi pop tunes, which might be considered sacrilege to Beatle fans, if it wasn’t so sincere and well executed.

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Another Sky - The Cracks.

Another Sky have unveiled their new single “The Cracks,” the second track taken from their upcoming EP Life Was Coming In Through The Blinds, due for release on June 14th via Fiction/Missing Piece Records. “The Cracks” (video directed by Steve Turvey) follows on from the band’s emotionally impacting previous single “Apple Tree.”

“The Cracks” further reveals the band’s talent and appetite for cultural and social commentary, alongside their soaring cinematic soundscapes. Vocalist Catrin Vincent describes the track as “a response to a Leonard Cohen lyric, “the cracks, that’s how the light gets in”. The song is an ode to our generation, one that is more self-aware and being forced to have the difficult conversations that lead to progress and evolution. It’s inspired by the little girl fined by the council for setting up a lemonade stall, the kids suing the US government for global warming, teenagers like Greta Thunberg. It’s about our generation’s unique position of facing extinction.”

Another Sky was recently named one of NPR Music’s "Favorite Discoveries of SXSW 2019,” and one of Paste’s “15 New British Acts You Need to Know in 2019.” Media and fans alike quickly jumped on board with the band in 2018, with The FADER premiering the video for “Chillers,” and an appearance on Later…with Jools Holland.


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Sofia - Heavy.

Following the recent release of her new single ‘Heavy’, hotly-tipped Finnish singer-songwriter Sofia announces her upcoming debut EP, ‘Heavy’, available on all digital platforms on 26thApril.

Born from a collaboration with renowned Finnish producer Matti Pitkänen, the EP clearly shows Sofia’s flair to create both a unique sound and aesthetic for herself, all deeply rooted in personal experience. Explaining what inspired her to write the songs, Sofia says “they are all confessional stories about hope, love and vulnerability. I wanted to be earnest and made the lyrics sound as I was reading from my diary.”

Anticipation has been building steadily on Sofia’s upcoming EP, since she unveiled its first single ‘Heavy’, which has seen support from the likes Nothing but Hope and Passion, Bands of Tomorrow, The Indy Review and Wonky Sensitive, among others. Whilst her first international debut ‘Domino’, a mix between Billie Eilish haunting ballads, Khalid’s pop-inflected R&B and Anne-Marie’s truth-telling, put Sofia on the right path to becoming the next Nordic-pop sensation.

Including the previously released singles‘Underwater’ and ‘Your Arms’- which earned her early support from key Spotify ‘New Music Friday’and key Nordic influencers,as well as heavy rotation from the largest Finnish taste maker radio Yle X - the EP is a well-rounded and authentic body of work, that exemplifies Sofia’s heart-warming approach to music: one that is sure to resonate with listeners on its release.


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Vilde - Sardines.

With a proclivity for delivering exhilarating slices of indie-electronica infused with weird pop sensibilities well established, Vilde returns in 2019 with his first cut from a new full length record. New single Sardines retains the Stockholm based, Melbourne raised artist’s singular style – whilst letting a little more light in to a traditionally dark sound. Falling somewhere between Thom Yorke, Tim Hecker and TV on the Radio it’s a great addition to his steadily growing stylish and sophisticated cannon.

As well as leftfield sonics Vilde, AKA Thomas Savage, offers oblique looks at serious themes through his tracks and albums. Sardines falls in line here, offering a take on views towards overfishing: “A friend of mine said to me, ‘You know, there’s a date on it. There’ll be no fish left in the sea come 2048’. It sounded like the kind of comment I’d have an initial predisposition to be sceptical of. However just a little research shows it is a well-supported claim. I’m interested in why this has had such little effect on the consumption trend. We are a species that takes action to preserve an endangered species, however only at the point of its being endangered. We exist within a fog of moral & ethical confusion. It’s fascinating. I articulated this poorly, yet as best I could, in my song, ‘Sardines’. The emotion is there, at least.”

It’s the first preview of Fidget At The Podium, the album Vilde will be releasing in the late summer. He began recording in early 2018 in Stockholm, just before being served a visa denial from the migration agency. Re-locating briefly to Düsseldorf to stay with his brother, he eventually finished the record in Melbourne through the summer. Looking to expand the instrumentation to evolve his sound, he brought in flute, saxophone and for the first time, other people’s voices. “I have had such a solo process for so long now, it’s become quite exhilarating to collaborate with other musicians” explains Savage, revelling in opening up his creativity.

There’s a reason for the hitherto insular approach the Vilde project has taken so far, explained as an overarching theme tackled across the album. “It’s largely about emotions and making sure to communicate with them. Personally I don’t find that social interactions accommodate a headspace where I can do that effectively” starts Thomas, “I get the bulk of that fix, that inner-communication, in yelling from my guts into a microphone, alone in my room. This whole music thing is largely for myself, and I guess the point of releasing this album is that if a listener gains a fraction of that gut-to-fruition emotion that I do in making it, it’ll mean something to them, I hope.”


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Anna Wiebe - Jeanines

Anna Wiebe provides her personal background for the new song 'Fortune' below. Her vocals are beautifully engaging, the musical backdrop adds power on what is a folk piece plus some fine rock vibes. Jeanines share a vibrant indie pop song with 'Either Way', it's catchy, melodic and has just enough emotional edge to make it really stand out.

Anna Wiebe - Fortune.

“Fortune” is about trying to break free of a cycle; about growing up and the feelings of frustration that come with that process.

This is the first single I’m sharing off of All I Do Is Move, my second full-length that will be out this coming July. The album focuses on cycles, and the mental growth and movement that comes with life’s lessons.

I wrote “Fortune” at when I was working at Lake O’Hara, and recorded the demo during my first week at the lodge. There was no internet or cell phone service out there, so I had a lot of time to sit with what I had written. It gave me time to process exactly what I was saying to myself with this song, and it feels so great to finally share these musings with the world.

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Jeanines - Either Way.

Brooklyn's Jeanines specialize in ultra-short bursts of energetic but melancholy minor-key pop. With influences that run deep into the most crucial tributaries of DIY pop — Messthethics, the Television Personalities, Marine Girls, early Pastels, Dolly Mixture — they've crafted a style that is as individual as it is just plain pleasurable. Alicia Jeanine's pure, unaffected voice muses wistfully on the illusions of time, while My Teenage Stride/Mick Trouble mastermind Jed Smith's frantic Motown-esque drumming and inventive bass playing provide a thrilling rhythmic foundation.

"Winter In The Dark" and a lovely, jaunty cover of The Siddeleys' "Falling Off Of My Feet Again" provide great insight into what Jeanines are about. 60s-meet-80s melodies combine with timeless guitar jangle in a way that recalls everything from The Aislers Set and Saturday Looks Good To Me to more recent DIY pop groups like Parsnip and Chook Race. Album opener "Either Way," "Hits The Bone" and "Where We Go" hearken back to some of the most intriguing bands of the C86/C88 era, when bands like Jesse Garon & The Desperadoes crafted perfect pop gems enlivened by the inspiration of punk.

Gorgeous songs like "Where I Stand," "Too Late" and "In This House" are windows into Alicia's lyrical style and inspiration. She expands: "I'm kind of obsessed with mortality and how weird the passage of time is so I think my lyrics reflect that. I definitely lean into that kind of melancholy state of mind when trying to think of lyrics, while trying to avoid cliches!" The marriage of the minor-key melodies and melancholic lyrics is powerful and make Alicia's songs all the more memorable, especially so on songs like "No Home," with its echoes of girl harmony post-punk groups like Grass Widow and Household.

Clearly, with 16 great songs included, there is a lot at work here on this standout debut album. Jeanines have been compared to such cult pop icons as Dear Nora, Black Tambourine, and more recent acts like Veronica Falls and Girl Ray, but their dark, modal melodies and pensive, philosophical lyrics, along with Smith's versatile but ever-economical musicality, ensure them a place of their own in today's crowded but boisterously healthy DIY pop scene.

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