MUST LISTEN 072
Every week, we’ll be bringing you Must Listen: a compilation of new music that must be added to your everyday playlist. This week’s playlist consists of emerging acts like Kiefer, Madi Diaz, and MUNYA. Turn on, tune in, and zone out.
Jazz extraordinaire Kiefer brings his latest single “curly” to the table, alongside the release of his newest album When There’s Love Around, the first of his projects to feature a full band. The song is his own depiction of himself, reflecting on his youth and childhood. “When I grew up, I thought I looked weird. I had curly hair and brown skin,” says Kiefer. “Now I like my curly hair and complexion. The song is my swag, especially the bridge.”
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Madi Diaz shares a raw and heart wrenching track “History of A Feeling” off of her latest project of the same title. An amalgamation of folk, rock, and pop influences, Diaz leans into heartbreak and personal reflection throughout the 11-track album. With powerful melodies and her strikingly candid lyrics, it’s evident the care and soul Diaz pours into her songs.
Montreal-based artist MUNYA releases “Cocoa Beach” ahead of her forthcoming project Voyage to Mars on November 5 via Luminelle Recordings. “‘Cocoa Beach’ is a song about being fearless, about finding your inner force and embracing failure as your path to happiness,” shares MUNYA. “It’s about pushing yourself over your limits and accomplishing the impossible through sheer force of will.” With layered guitar riffs and a groovy bassline, MUNYA’s hypnotizing voice and bilingual lyricism shines through in this four-minute dream.
Huddersfield singer-songwriter PENNY returns with her latest single “Ur Girl’s Fine,” a lively mid-tempo tune centered around a difficult relationship during her time in university. “When I wrote Ur Girl’s Fine, I was well and truly trapped in a toxic and abusive environment, and the song was just a way for me to romanticize the whole situation; a way to convince myself it was all normal and fine,” explains PENNY. “These days, I like to sing this song as a love note to myself, and to those pals who’ve been there for those sweet, sweet memories.”
Rising artist will hyde shares his latest single and video for “our neighbors.” via Pack Records. Co-written by GRAMMY winners Mike Waters and Joel Quarterman, “our neighbors.” is inspired by feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and the raw moments of a rocky relationship. As hyde delivers an equally compelling visual coming to terms with the toxicity of a past relationship, “our neighbors.” shows just how capable he is of taking the stage.
Based in Alicante, Spain, the 20-year-old self-written and self-produced artist Samuel Petra delivers his latest single “Photograph,” the precursor to his autumnal project Lavanda. “‘Photograph’ is a hopeless romantic song,” says Petra. “It's melancholic, but with an energetic twist, contrasting the light and dark sides of a romantic relationship. On the one hand, there's pressure and anxiety, yet on the other there's hope and joy.” Accompanied by a simple yet visually alluring music video, Petra is an exciting one to watch.
Oklahoma City native PawPaw Rod sets forth his laid-back take on soul/hip-hop fusion with his latest single “Thin Lines.” This song marks the first preview for his upcoming A PawPaw Rod EP via GODMODE on September 17th. The fun-loving melody is sure to get you on your feet, and is accompanied by a feel-good visual through his hometown directed by Anthony Sylvester.
Bachelor is the latest indie-rock collaboration formed by Jay Som’s Melina Duterte and Palehound’s Ellen Kempner. The first single since the duo’s debut project Doomin’ Sun released in May, “I See It Now” is described as “a kind of lethargic muse on sexual regret and insecurity.” The song is mellow, but a slow burn to a bitter crisp, echoing the resentment of a former lover.
Jax Anderson
Jax Anderson shares her latest single “Tender” off of her upcoming project Songs For Every Condition. The song is the second collaboration between her and alt-pop artist Yoke Lore. The Detroit native leans into the power of vulnerability and uncertainty, explaining, “It’s about how softness can oftentimes be viewed as weak, but really it takes so much strength to allow yourself to be soft.”