Shilpa Ray - Heather Maloney - The Delines - DownTown Mystic - Adwaith

Shilpa Ray - Portrait Of A Cat Lady.

"Portrait of a Cat Lady" is a reflection on aging, and a refusal to be invisible. "My body trashed by time / Do you like my story? / Am I captivating?" Ray says the song was influenced by Lucinda Williams, ABBA, Dick Dale, Big Star, and The Byrds. It's genuine, infectious, and fierce. Fans of  Ray's rich catalogue will not be disappointed.

"Portrait of a Cat Lady" is the first single from a collection of post-pandemic / post-hysterectomy songs from iconoclastic singer-songwriter, Shilpa Ray.

The lyrics tell a coming of middle age story from a writer who refuses to disappear and is set against a musical backdrop of what Americana could sound like from a second generation immigrant perspective.

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Heather Maloney - Exploding Star.

Exploding Star was never intended to be released. Written after the death of her father, the songs were the most vulnerable body of work ever created by Maloney- meant and written only for her. The idea of releasing and then promoting an album went against her instincts to keep this art near and dear. Luckily for us, her closest friends and family convinced her otherwise.

Maloney was able to track for 2 days in her childhood home- recording songs, backing vocals, the crickets in the yard and even percussion played directly on the walls and floors of the house itself. The result is raw and exquisitely personal. 

“That house is the backdrop to so many moments with my father that became song lyrics on the record, so having *the house itself* be a part of a few songs was such a beautiful and intense experience for me,” Maloney reflects. “I will never forget what it felt like to return to the place those memories were made, and sing them with such grief and gratitude. At times I felt that my dad was still somewhere in the house, and I was singing directly to him. At other times it felt like I was surrounded by all of our young and distant ghosts.”

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The Delines - The Haunting Thoughts.

The Delines just shared their new single “The Haunting Thoughts,” the next offering from their upcoming album Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom, out February 14 via El Cortez Records. Led by tender piano and sauntering instrumentation, the poignant song tells the story of a woman who’s reeling from an existential crisis, with Magnet Magazine praising its “film-noir feel.”

“‘The Haunting Thoughts’ is about a woman who can’t shake the fear that the world she’s in is going to collapse,” says Willy Vlautin, songwriter and guitarist for the band. “She sees all this desperation around her on the streets of Portland, Oregon, and she’s worried it’ll catch her, too – that she’ll end up on the streets. We wanted that uncertainty and vulnerability inside the fabric of the song. It’s one of those rare tunes that worked from the get-go. It just played itself. Cory's piano is so great on this one and it's my favorite Amy vocal to date. Amy has this pure way of getting inside the world of the lyrics. She just kills me on this one.”

Vlautin on the video: “We’ve been really lucky to get Greg Schmitt and Efrem Peters to film these videos. And Zach Jones who edits them. They’re all so cool and so good. They filmed the band stuff at The Showdown in Portland and the rest was shot driving around the city. Portland has such an edge to it right now, with so many people living on the streets, in broken-down RVs, in cars, and in tents. I’m endlessly heartbroken by it and also I’m scared hitless that it could be me one day. The song has that edge to it and I think the video carries the same edge.”


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DownTown Mystic - One More Chance.

With 7 releases in 2024, US roots rocker DownTown Mystic isn’t skipping a beat to start 2025. The artist has been building momentum with airplay on over 100 Non-com Radio stations with each release.

Following the successful Better Day Digital 45 in October, the new One More Chance single sets the stage for DownTown Mystic’s next album project, The Wish, which shows DTM’s unique RnR style & sound evolving.

The One More Chance single features co-writer and longtime DTM musical Ally Bruce Engler on Lead Guitar. It also features one of the last sessions by drummer Tommy Mastro, with PJ Farley (Trixter, Fozzy) adding tasty bass lines. The single is a mini opus of sorts. Besides a musical interlude in the breakdown section, One More Chance also features the band recorded jamming live as the track fades out, making for a unique musical statement. Check out the One More Chance AI Video.

As with Better Day, DTM offers up another positive message with One More Chance. DownTown Mystic Writer/Producer Robert Allen comments, "I want to put out positive vibes in the world with my music. It's why I make music. One More Chance is a song of hope and light."


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Adwaith - Heddiw/Yfory, Purdan, Y Diwedd, Ni.

Critically acclaimed Welsh trio Adwaith continue to captivate with the release of four new tracks from their forthcoming album, Solas: ‘Heddiw / Yfory’, ‘Purdan’, ‘Y Diwedd’, and ‘Ni’. Meaning “light of being” or “enlightenment” in Celtic, Solas (out Feb 7th via Libertino Records) marks a significant milestone in the band’s journey. Recorded across diverse locations—including the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, Lisbon in Portugal, and multiple studios in Wales—Solas reflects Adwaith’s growth and evolution as artists. Overflowing with romance and magic, this 23-track double album completes a coming-of-age trilogy chronicling their transformation from teenagers into empowered women, exploring themes of self-discovery, escape, and resilience.

Of the new tracks, the band shares: "'Heddiw / Yfory' is a deeply nostalgic song that captures the intense bond we have with places that shaped us. It reflects on the comfort and familiarity of returning home, where even the simplest things—like gazing out a bedroom window or walking familiar paths—can evoke a powerful sense of belonging.

'Purdan' was written and recorded during our time in Lisbon. The song explores the complexity of being lured into a false sense of security by someone or something, feeling drawn to them despite knowing they might not have your best interests at heart.

‘Y Diwedd’ is a breakup song that delves into the poignant moments of knowing a relationship is nearing its end, yet fearing to acknowledge it. It captures the bittersweet tension of those final moments together, where both parties are reluctant to let go, even though the inevitable looms.

'Ni’ is a song about unity, love, and the importance of finding your tribe—the people who truly understand, love, and support you. It’s a reminder that, even in a world of 8 billion people, there are those out there who will love, embrace, and accept you for who you are."

Libertino · Adwaith - Heddiw Yfory / Purdan / Y Diwedd / Ni

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Carrying On Catching Up With: Phoebe Green - Paris Paloma - Hailey Whitters - Boreal - Flora Hibberd - Run Remedy

Phoebe Green - What Are You Doing. 

Manchester's Phoebe Green announces her new EP 'The Container' and presents new single "What Are You Doing". New five-track EP 'The Container' will be released on 21st March ahead of Phoebe's recently announced April UK headline tour. Marking a significant evolution in her artistry, new EP 'The Container' was written and produced by Phoebe within the intimate settings of her flat in Manchester and her parents' house in the coastal town of Lytham St Annes.

"‘The Container’ feels so right for me at this point in time, I just think that these songs represent where I’m at in terms of taste, ability and emotional state. It’s been so freeing to be able to go back to recording in my bedroom and writing out of a sheer need to express myself, to document my growth and allow others into that," Phoebe offers.

New song "What Are You Doing" is released today and provides another enticing glimpse into the project, following first taste "Precious Things" released late 2024. Blending shadowy synth-pop with introspective lyrics, "What Are You Doing" grapples with the lingering anxieties and self-doubt ("Do you watch me from a distance?") that can surface after navigating a challenging and emotionally draining relationship.

Speaking more on the inspiration behind her new single, Phoebe said: "‘What Are You Doing’ explores the mourning of a pretty toxic relationship, coming to terms with how damaging it was in hindsight, but how thrilling and all-consuming it felt at the time. Now that it feels so far in the past it’s impossible not to be curious about what this person is doing, how they’re going about their day to-day-life and wondering if I still take up space in their mind."

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Paris Paloma - HUNTER (the cacophony).

Paris Paloma releases the re-imagined version of ‘HUNTER (the cacophony)’, reprising the idea behind 'LABOUR (the cacophony)', where over 250 fans lend their voices to the empowering track.  
 
A fan favourite both live and on record, originally featuring on her 2024 debut album ‘Cacophony’, Paris says, “once again, it’s been so emotional to hear the voices of hundreds of fans coming together to join me on a new Cacophony version of this song. ‘Hunter’ is one of the most personal songs on the album, it’s a story of the internal triumph over darkness and pain at one of the most mentally turbulent times in my life. Seeing people relate to this song, to come out in force to sing it with me feels so powerful, and a testament to the strength of so many people who find my music resonates with them, it makes me feel so empowered and proud.”
 
Paris returns to North America this March for her anticipated 15-city sold out headline tour, starting March 4th in Atlanta and wrapping March 27th in Los Angeles. She will follow this with further UK & Ireland dates, including a sold out show at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in June. The dates follow her previously sold out UK, EU and US runs, where she has cultivated a dedicated fan community who have made her live shows a magical experience, from trading fairy messages to swapping books to impromptu fae circles.

Paris Paloma · HUNTER (the cacophony)

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Hailey Whitters - Cassaroles.

The Iowa-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Hailey Whitters released “Casseroles,” her first major release in nearly two years out now via Pigasus Records/Big Loud Records/Songs & Daughters. Written by Whitters’ close collaborators Hillary Lindsey, Tom Douglas and James Slater, the moving song threads the needle between the raw grief of a tragic loss and the hope that can follow.

About the new single, Whitters explains: “I was sent this record from three of my favorite collaborators who've written many songs that have defined the foundation of my appreciation for modern country music — Hillary Lindsey, Tom Douglas and James Slater. During my first listen, I was absolutely floored. I lost my brother suddenly thirteen years ago, and from that moment on, my life was changed forever. 

I particularly remember everyone bringing loads of food and casseroles over and how I couldn't eat for days because I was so distraught. Remembering that moment was what made this song hit so heavy for me. What happens when the casseroles stop coming and everyone has moved on, but it feels like you never will? As heavy and somber as the lyric and melody is, I also think there's hope in the message and pray that it lands between ears that need to hear it.”

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Boreal - Winterbirds.

Canadian folk trio Boreal shares "Winterbirds," the title track from their sophomore album that will be officially released on all digital platforms March 7. Singer/songwriters Tannis Slimmon, Katherine Wheatley and Angie Nussey began making Winterbirds in 2023 as the long-overdue follow-up to Boreal's 2014 debut album Winter’s Welcome. While a chilly theme is still predominant on much of Winterbirds, it’s a collection intended to bring joy year-round, with the music presenting a balance of soulful intensity with moments of lightness and celebration.

Among the album's other standout tracks are Angie's "Shepherd Of The Road," inspired by a conscientious truck driver who helped guide her home during a blizzard, Tannis's "Weathervane," co-written with Guelph, Ontario music scene fixture Lewis Melville, Katherine's haunting "Beautiful Blue," and a cover of the Gordon Lightfoot perennial favourite, "Song For A Winter's Night."

“Collaborating with Tannis and Katherine feels like working with a dream team,” Angie says. “We admire each other’s strengths, which inspires us to continually elevate our efforts for one another. The whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. And to top it all off, we share a ton of laughter along the way.”

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Flora Hibberd – Lucky You.

Indie-folk artist Flora Hibberd has just released her highly anticipated debut LP Swirl via 22TWENTY (Oracle Sisters, Cornelia Murr). Made in collaboration with producer Shane Leonard (Foy Vance, Mipso, Field Report) during a sweltering summer in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this illuminating body of work explores the weight of words, their different meanings for different people, their evocative power, their problems, and their possibility.

Along with the album comes a lyric video for release day focus track, "Lucky You." Made by band member Victor Claass with font hand-drawn by Flora Hibberd herself, the video collages fascinating archival footage and scientific diagrams of plant growth cycles. About it Claass says:

Watching the video for Lucky You is supposed to feel like flipping through a book about mosses and lichens. These soft and fragile organic forms appear in the lyrics, which reveal themselves across the screen until they crowd each other out and saturate. The effect is an instability, a sense of disturbance, reflecting the song, holding all its tension until the last.

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Run Remedy - Kerosene.

Run Remedy, the project of New Jersey-born, Manchester-based artist Robin Koob, unveils her new single, Kerosene. Known for blending intimate storytelling with experimental textures and folk influences, Koob's latest offering is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on love, loss, and resilience. The track also serves as a preview of Run Remedy’s highly anticipated debut album, which is set to be released in June.

Kerosene recounts the tragic loss of Koob’s first “puppy love”, Lily, when the pair were involved in a tragic car accident during her teenage years. Raised in a strict Evangelical Christian household, with two preacher parents, Koob spent her adolescence lost and closeted, struggling to understand her identity within the confines of a conservative community. On Kerosene, she reflects on how the tragedy reshaped her life and pushed her toward self-discovery and a broader world beyond the confines of her upbringing.

On her new single, Koob shared: “Losing Lily so young is a big part of what gave me the courage to really live. It was a face-slap way to learn how short and precious life is. Kerosene is about that bright flame of being young, filled with the promise of life. It’s about the destruction and terror of that day, as well as the brightness and life that come afterward.I don't know if I ever would have been brave enough to leave the comfort of my world or risk being my true self without that experience.

I have a tattoo for Lily now. We used to talk about what we wanted to get, and after her death, when I finally got my cliché violin back tattoo, I got hers on my hand too—so I wouldn't ever forget that lesson.”

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Bumper Catch Up featuring: Rubblebucket - Mollie Elizabeth - Lilly Hiatt - The Kearns Family - WILDES and St Francis Hotel - Lucette - Caroline Strickland - Mon Rayon - Lala Salama

Keeping the comments a little shorter so we can cram a few more songs in than usual, this is our first bumper catch up of some really fine recent releases. In no particular order we present:

Rubblebucket — Anyone Else But You (Live @ SiriusXM).

We have always loved the Moldy Peaches song "Anyone Else But You." The lyrics are so poetic and the song is so simple. Despite being so soft the performance has a punk ethos in its level of carefreeness. The vibe really captures our spirit and the lyrics deeply speak to our story of being friends, then romantic and then just friends again. In that way it also brings out the spirit/story of our most recent album Year of the Banana which is about enduring friendship in its various poetic snapshots of our cosmic collision. 

It was a little challenging to figure out how we could bring something fresh to something so perfect without ruining it but we're happy with our added syncopations, percussion, trumpet and synthesizer. We also made sure to run it by our friend Adam Green who is one half of Moldy Peaches who said in response: "This is great!! Love the trumpet and the ethereal pads in the second half - you guys do it perfectly - I wouldn’t overthink it - the nature of the song is casual like this so it really works... You guys sound superb singing it." Thanks Adam!

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Mollie Elizabeth - Vegas Venetian.

Mollie introduces herself: Hi there, my name is Mollie (aka doeyedfairie), and I am a singer and songwriter from the woods of Washington State’s Cascades. 

To me, every melody is a tiny world that invites you in—an invitation to be both fierce and delicate, and to celebrate who you are, who you have been, and who you are becoming. 

My music isn’t just for listening—it’s for wandering, for imagining, and for finding a piece of yourself in a place you’d forgotten. I hope my songs resonate with you!

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Lilly Hiatt - Kwik - E - Mart.

Lilly Hiatt will release Forever on January 31, 2025 via New West Records. The 9-song set is Hiatt’s first album in four years and was produced by her husband, Coley Hinson, and mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, Pixies, Hole).

Forever is a raw, unvarnished work of love and trust that walks the line between alt-rock muscle and singer-songwriter sensitivity. It is a bold, guitar-driven, exploration of maturity and adulthood that grapples with growth and change, escape and anxiety, self-loathing and self-love, and the songs are intensely vulnerable, full of diaristic snapshots.

Already met with critical acclaim, Uncut Magazine named it their “Americana Album of the Month,” exclaiming “Hiatt has rarely rocked harder than on Forever.” MOJO said “Stability and appreciation of life’s little victories have rarely sounded more delightful” while Nashville Lifestyles magazine said “Lilly Hiatt steps into the bold, punchy future on her fourth album, Forever…her creative re-awakening captures the excitement of a new start.”

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The Kearns Family - The Old Days.

The Old Days is a story song about the narrator’s relationship with their father viewed through hazy nostalgia and both good times and bad. Years pass until the narrator has the ultimate realization that no matter how different they want to be, they’re still a lot like their parents.

Mojave Desert singer-songwriter Pat Kearns persists among the most recognizable voices in the high-desert folk-rock landscape, further cemented by winning the Joshua Tree Voice “Joshua” award for Best Make Vocal of 2023. Accompanied by artist/stylist/musician Susan Kearns on stand-up bass; together, they’re the Kearns Family: a wide-brimmed, steely-eyed duo embodying the traditions of ‘60s/70s outlaw/cosmic country with deep-rooted power-pop sensibilities.

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WILDES and St Francis Hotel - In The Floodlight.

WILDES and St Francis Hotel just revealed the new track "In The Floodlight" - the final taste of new collaborative EP Kopfkino, out 19th February - which will feature the previously released title track and "Are You Gonna Speak?", released in December last year.

Together WILDES and St Francis Hotel bring with them a wealth of critical plaudits, and notable collaborations between them with acts including The Flaming Lips, Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka.

For new EP Kopfkino, the pair delve into the mind's captivating power, exploring the spectrum of human experience from poignant introspection to exhilarating escapism, sonically noting the influence of 80s synth-pop bands such as Erasure, The Human League, and Depeche Mode, as well as trip-hop artists like Massive Attack and Portishead.

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Lucette - Heading For The End.

Canadian singer-songwriter Lucette shares the relatably fatalistic new single “Heading for the End,” the latest from her upcoming EP Nice Girl From The Suburbs, which releases on March 21. This song finds Lucette living in the complexity of being human while still resisting people pleasing stereotypes. Singing “everytime it hurts, I’m heading for the end,” she exists both as someone experiencing the real feelings of pain, as well as an observer chiding her own tendency to catastrophize.

“Heading For The End” follows Lucette’s previous single, the pedal-steel-filled boot-stomper “Back in the Blue” featuring Mariel Buckley. Speaking about the new song, she explains, “‘Heading For The End’ is an extension on topics that I began to speak about on my last album. It’s a dark, sarcastic way of looking at my near melodramatic behavior when I feel low. Thinking that when I’m hurt, I’m heading for the end. Telling myself stories that probably aren’t true. Leaning into those feelings a bit too much at times.”

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Caroline Strickland - Prettiest Girl of Heaven.

Caroline Strickland is an alternative rock musician out of Brooklyn, NY. Her music revolves around themes of self actualization and realization, analyzing the tension between our arrogance and tenderness, how we fall in love and how we let go.

Driving guitar and smoked out vocals are highlighted with thecoccasional one-string lick or tap on the piano, a sparse style that somehow fills the void.

"Prettiest Girl of Heaven" is the new single from Caroline Strickland. It's the latest single off of their new EP, Martha's Calling, out March 7th.

Good Eye Records · Caroline Strickland - "Prettiest Girl of Heaven"

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Mon Rayon - On the Riviera.

The song began as an instrumental piece, reflecting "the mysterious and glamorous life on the French Riviera," like a scene from a European spy film with "beautiful scenery, fast car chases, enchanting women, and the emptiness in the aftermath."

When Josef shared the idea with Christoffer, he was thrilled and wrote lyrics that ask: "What happens when the glamour is gone? What should one do with the void in your heart when all the lights are out? Is there more happiness beyond the next star?"

It’s a story of love at a crossroads. You’ve "played your cards and feel like there’s nothing more you can do." Stepping outside the "sparkling and color-filled casino of love," the world shifts to black and white—yet hope lingers that "your breakthrough lies beyond the next star."

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Lala Salama - Kuva Susta.

The Helsinki-based indie band Lala Salama will releasde their third and final single, Kuva Susta, last Friday, January 17, ahead of their debut album Miltähän me näytettäis yhdessä, set to drop on March 21, 2025. The album has already been introduced with two singles: the 2023 shoegaze hit Summer Love and the heartfelt Aurinko sulattaa mun pään. While the first two singles were intimate summer anthems, Kuva Susta is the perfect addition to winter’s melancholic playlists.

"‘Kuva Susta’ represents Lala Salama’s more sensitive side; it’s an emotional depiction of longing, memories of the past, and the difficulty of letting go," says the band’s singer and guitarist Rosa Jules.

Lala Salama: One of Finland's most promising indie bands: Lala Salama has quickly risen as one of Finland's most promising indie bands. The debut album’s first single, Summer Love, was released in 2023 and immediately gained international attention. The single topped the Hype Machine chartsand was the fourth most-played song of the year on Radio Helsinki. The British Clash Magazine praised it as an "ultra-catchy shoegaze anthem."

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Welcome Back With... CocoRosie - Tommy Keyes - better joy

When Beehive Candy decided to take a break, a few weeks became a few months and nearly became forever. The break was needed and so much has happened for us in the past year plus, however this time around it's for the love of good music and nothing more. Some new ideas are floating around, but one thing at a time, anyway welcome back, the constant visits since we stopped have been incredible, so thank you for your interest and support, we are really grateful.

CocoRosie - Little Death Wishes.

CocoRosie, the sister duo of Bianca and Sierra Casady announce the release of their eighth studio album Little Death Wishes, out March 28th on Joyful Noise. Along with the album and the upcoming European tour announcements, they share the album’s second single and music video, 'Cut Stitch Scar.'

For just over twenty years, Bianca and Sierra Casady have transmuted the love, hardship, and ecstasy of sisterhood into some of the most daring, dangerous, and wildly original music our increasingly sanitized culture has known. CocoRosie has been a project consistently at the musical vanguard, influencing countless musicians while inspiring and creating refuge for the “criminal queers” of the world. Above all, CocoRosie has been a conduit for irrepressible artistic self-realization.

Little Death Wishes is as open and tenderhearted as anything they’ve ever created. The songs tell a kaleidoscopic story of the generational hardship of women and the shattered realities of their lives, the precarious and precious nature of being human, of being done wrong by love, and a final wish to be unbroken. It boils everything CocoRosie down to its most brutal essence: turning pain into knowledge, sisterhood into polemic, trash into treasure, and recalcifying kitsch and cliché into fresh truths.

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Tommy Keyes - The Key Of Blue.

The sixth single from the acclaimed album the Key of Blue is the title track and is a throwback to the classic jazz-pop era.

It's accompanied with a sublime co-vocal from Dara MacGabhann along with some brilliant solos from Dick Farrelly on guitar and Richie Buckley on sax.

Tommy Keyes is an Irish singer-songwriter who returned to music in 2016 after almost 40 years away.  The current album is his 8th and he’s had 6 Number Ones in the Irish iTunes singles charts.

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better joy - waiting on time.

Kicking off 2025 with intent, Manchester-based Bria Keely, better known as better joy, has shared new single ‘waiting on time’ and announced debut EP ‘heading into blue’ will be released on 28th March.
 
New single ‘waiting on time’ continues to showcase Bria’s personal experiences through her candid and autobiographical lyrics about life. Written about her own mental challenges and the importance of having time to heal, the tender lyrics are coupled with jangly guitars and a cheery melody, building in measured intensity to a euphoric chorus of release.
 
Bria says, “waiting on time at its core is about going through mental challenges and losing yourself in the process, and the healing process that comes after. For me, it takes time to feel like myself again after I’ve gone through something difficult, and this one is just about the wait and the inevitability that I will find myself again. When I’ve been at my lowest, it’s hard to see through the fog of it all so I wanted this song to be a reminder to myself - and in general - that if you do all the right things to get yourself out of the rut, the fog can clear, it’ll just take some time.”
 
Alongside new single ‘waiting on time’, Bria has announced the debut better joy EP ‘heading into blue’ produced by Mike Hedges (The Cure, U2, Manic Street Preachers). The 6-track EP features previous singles ‘carnival’ and ‘what a day’ alongside new single ‘waiting on time’, as well as three brand-new tracks, ‘couldn’t run forever’, ‘quiet thing’ and ‘can I land the plane?’. It is the first full-length project from better joy and is both a perfect introduction to better joy’s alt-pop sound and an exciting taster of more to come this year.

 

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