She’s the songwriter behind Grammy Award winning songs and a voice within this industry striving for real change. Autumn Rowe posing in press photo via Spirit Music Group Article Contributed by Monica Soriano It is always admirable to see artists, songwriters or producers spread their knowledge and guide the new generation. Autumn Rowe is a bright example of not only expanding one’s skills but using every bit of knowledge to move everyone forward and advocate for a better tomorrow. The talented songwriter is proof that the music industry, while it still needs improvements, provides opportunities to those who dare take the plunge. It’s Always Been About Music Autumn Rowe’s journey began in New York where she was born, she was surrounded by music and thus began her journey. Since she was young her path always revolved around music. From her Junior High days enrolling in a gifted and talented program to performing in different choirs or creating a band, she worked her way to where she is today. Songs That Will Live Forever Rowe’s name is in the credits of many beloved songs including “Swagger Jagger” by Cher Lloyd, “Salt” by Ava Max and “Room for 2” by Dua Lipa. Her work in 5 tracks from Job Batiste’s album ‘We Are’ earned her a Grammy Award. The album was highly praised and moved many people. “Happiness” by Alexis Jordan was also penned by Autumn Rowe very early on in her career and it made its way to the FIFA Women’s World Cup as its official song in 2011. The amount of artists she has collaborated with throughout the years is admirable, from Miley Cyrus and Jesse McCartney to Kylie Minogue and a young post-Disney Channel Zendaya. The Multi-Hyphenate Artist Some songwriters are artists, others dive into producing and a few become vocal coaches. Autumn Rowe does all of it, she in addition, has made a name for herself as a DJ. Her stage name is AFTR PRTY and her sets have made it all the way to Europe. Rowe has vocal coached artists such as Fifth Harmony and Grace VanderWaal. Advocacy for Songwriters, Women in Music and Her Message Rowe advocates strongly for fairness in the music industry. She serves on the board of SONA (Songwriters of North America), she co-founded a songwriter fund during the pandemic to help aid financially struggling songwriters and continuously advocates for women by speaking at events. This is only a small description of the work she has done, her efforts have reached broader places. Part of the last sentence in the about section of her website reads as follows “ in a world where not all musicians can survive, there can be no music in the world.” That is a sentiment proven by her actions. Autumn Rowe has been using her voice and platform to bring forth issues that are important to people within this industry. Without people like her to advocate for women, fair compensation and lend her time to mentor other songwriters and musicians, the change we want would be further away. Rowe’s efforts are appreciated and she should be celebrated for them. We will be sure to keep up with her as she continues to spread her knowledge and provide the world with more music.

Article Contributed by Monica Soriano It seems that artists don’t always have the monthly listeners that are equivalent to their talent. This is the case for Josceppi. ‘Chämeleon’ is a wonderful piece of storytelling that has the potential to grab the attention of many new listeners. While starting the listening journey it was clear that this was intentionally crafted and Josceppi as an artist has a clear direction. The alternative pop rock meets classic rockstar feel is a delight to the ears. The standouts from the album are “DIVA QÜEEN”, “Wälk Away” and “After It All” but our favorite song has to be “HEART TO BURN”. A Rockstar in 2026 Just when the listening experience becomes settled in a classic sound, the interludes pop in as a reminder that this was in fact released in 2026. Not bad or good, just part of the album's experience and the way Josceppi is choosing to tell this story. The instrumentation is a strong highlight from beginning to end and his voice not only is able to communicate emotion but also deliver the songs in a way that puzzles every piece in harmony. The Perfect Introduction ‘Chämeleon’ sits at just 31 minutes of listening time and serves as a perfect introduction to Josceppi’s musicality. It is also accompanied by a music video and live performance for “DIVA QÜEEN”, as well as a visualizer for “FÄST AS I CAN”. It seems almost unfair that not all artists get the same reach equally but with quality music and consistency, fans eventually get to discover a new world. We hope this riveting album lands in the ears of those who will appreciate Josceppi’s full rockstar capabilities.

Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) Whatever's Clever! World Tour | Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI | May 19, 2026 Article Contributed by LJ Portnoy, Leo Lad & Rachel Catherine Some concerts give you a setlist. Some give you a moment. On Tuesday night at the Fox Theatre, Charlie Puth gave Detroit both, and somewhere in the middle of it, he stopped everything for a kid with a poster and a four-month-old piano habit. Daniel Seavy Just Has It Daniel Seavey opened the night, and he made sure nobody stayed in their seat. His set was fun, interactive, and genuinely alive; the kind of performance that feels unscripted even when it isn't. He's an all-around musician, weaving live looping and multiple instruments into his set in a way that's as impressive as it is infectious. He closed things out by jumping into the crowd, which felt like the most natural ending possible. There's a realness to him that's hard to manufacture. He just has it. Then Charlie Puth Took the Stage, and Detroit Lost Its Mind Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) He's funny. He's warm. He mentioned Detroit, and he meant it. Somewhere early in the set, it became clear that this wasn't just a pop show or a jazz showcase or a greatest hits victory lap. It was all three, wrapped around something more sincere than any of those things. Two Pianos, One Gripe Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) The stage setup was immersive; fog, hypnotic lighting, bouncy visuals that kept your eyes moving all night. Worth noting: Charlie worked not one but two pianos throughout the set, each with different settings and programmables, rotating between them in a way that let him face the audience from different angles. It's a clever fix for an artist whose instrument could otherwise keep him locked in one place all night. And it worked. But if we're being fully transparent, and we always are, there was a part of us that kept waiting for the moment he'd step off the stage entirely, come down to the floor, let the crowd reach him. That never quite happened, and it was honestly our only gripe of the night. Though we'll admit: when you've been to enough shows where the artist ends up three rows deep in the audience, you start to expect it. That might be on us as much as anything. "The World Needs Your Music" Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) Charlie Puth genuinely wants more people to make music. That sounds like a cliché until you're standing in a room of thousands and he stops mid-show to say it as he means it. If you have any interest in music at all, the world needs you to pursue it. It needs your music. You need it. We're paraphrasing. But the feeling wasn't paraphrasable. If you make music yourself, that kind of moment lands somewhere a setlist alone never could. Stop Everything But the moment that really got us, and we mean really got us, was that kid with the poster. We couldn't read it from where we were standing, but Charlie could, and what it said was something to the effect of: today was my first recital. Four months of piano. First show. Charlie Puth stopped everything. Not a quick acknowledgment, not a wave, not a "that's so sweet" before moving on. He stopped the show. Four, five minutes minimum, just talking to this kid, grabbing the poster, noticing the sheet music taped to the back of it, signing the whole thing. He apologized to the crowd for pausing, but the way he said it made clear he wasn't actually sorry. This kid deserved the pause. He could see something in him, and he wasn't going to let that go because five thousand other people were waiting. That choice to slow down. We're still thinking about it. Attention, Detroit Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) "Attention" hit like a freight train. Everybody on their feet, everybody singing, and when it ended, the crowd just wouldn't let it go. Minutes went by, the applause got louder, mid-show, not even the closer. It was pure Detroit energy saying yes, we know exactly who you are, and we are so glad you're here. Later in the set, Charlie and one of his backup singers locked into an extended back-and-forth, trading runs, completely in the pocket, just feeling it out. Those are the moments that remind you that live music can't be replicated. You had to be there. A Small Piece of Yourself Charlie Puth performs in Detroit MI at the Fox Theater (Photo by @ljportnoy) Before "Cry," he talked about what it actually means to make something. That sometimes you don't know why you're compelled to create. You just are. And then one day it clicks, and you realize you made it so that someone else might understand a small, specific piece of you. Honestly? The most human thing we've heard an artist say from a stage in a long time. Charlie Puth (in our opinion) is the Mozart, or maybe even the Beethoven, of this generation; the ear, the range, the genuine fluency across everything music can be. Seeing it live, up close, in a room full of people of every age, all singing every word. That confirmed it for us. If he ever comes to your city, you go. No debate. You go. The Whatever's Clever World Tour continues through summer 2026.

Seafret didn't rush Fear of Emotion. They couldn't have even if they'd wanted to. Seafret's fear of emotion album cover Article Contributed by LJ Portnoy, Editor-in-Chief Most viral moments come with a clock attached. You blow up, the timeline compresses, and suddenly you're scrambling to feed the algorithm something new before the window closes. But when Atlantis found its second life on TikTok nearly eight years after its release, quietly accumulating streams until it crossed a billion plays, the clock that usually starts ticking just... didn't. That's the thing nobody talks about when the Atlantis story gets told. Yes, Jack's niece texted him to get a TikTok account because his song was everywhere. Yes, they logged on to find thousands of videos with it playing underneath. But what mattered most for the record that would follow wasn't the scale of the moment or the new audience it brought. It was the strange, unexpected silence it created around whatever came next. "It filled up so much of our space on the internet," Harry told us. "We could just sit back while that was happening and create this new record and make sure that it was something we truly loved." Jack put it more directly: "It took the rush away." That's the real gift Atlantis gave them. Not validation, not label leverage, not a bigger room to play. Time. The internet was so busy with the old song that nobody was demanding the new one, which meant that for the first time in their career, Jack and Harry got to make a record entirely on their own terms, at their own pace, without anyone waiting at the door. The Long Way Around Fear of Emotion is their fourth album, and the first one built without any external pressure shaping the timeline. They wrote a pile of songs, chose the ones that actually meant something to them personally, and built the record from that shortlist. "It was the first time we've done that," Harry said, and you can hear it in the result. The album has a cohesion and emotional weight that feels deliberate in a way that's hard to manufacture when you're rushing. When it came to the production, they went back to Steve Robinson and Sam Miller, the team behind their debut, which in itself says something about where their heads were. Given the freedom to work with anyone, they chose the room they trusted most. "It felt like almost like going back home," Harry said, "all new songs, but with familiar faces." Full Circle, Several Times Over Photography by Nat Michele But the real full-circle story belongs to Jack, and it's the kind of thing you genuinely couldn't write. When he was younger, his mum told him he could sing and he didn't believe her, so he learned a James Morrison song on an iPod, Please Don't Stop the Rain, and took it to an open mic night to test the theory. Harry's dad happened to be there that night, made the introduction, and Seafret began. Years later, they were in the studio with Steve Robinson when he mentioned he'd double-booked the week — James Morrison was coming in on Wednesday, did they want to stick around? They wrote a song together in a single day, a track called Driftwood that ended up on the album and found its way onto the radio. "It's just been like a full crazy, full circle moment," Jack said, which is about as understated as you can get about something that unlikely. KT Tunstall has her own version of that story. She'd caught Seafret at Sundance early in their career, came up to them afterward to tell them she loved what she'd heard, and they'd stayed loosely in touch across the years that followed. When she asked to be on the record, they had five hours together in the studio. They wrote Five More Seconds and called it done. Given all the freedom in the world, Seafret kept coming back. To their roots, to their people, to the emotional honesty that's been the foundation of everything they've made. The album sounds like what happens when a band stops trying to outrun themselves and just lets the work be what it actually is. What the Songs Are Actually About The title of the record lives in the chorus of the opening track — "this isn't love, this is fear of emotional death" — a line that wasn't written to be a thesis statement but ended up naming the feeling that runs through the whole thing. They listened back through the album and realized it had captured something they'd been circling around without quite saying out loud. That feeling, broadly, is the aftermath of loving the wrong way or staying past the point where love still makes sense. Songs like Guilty, Stand By You, and Wasted On You don't reach for gentle metaphors or comfortable distance — the imagery is chemical chains, criminal acts, the kind of language that earns what it's asking you to carry. When we asked Jack about how far is too far, he said the line is relatability. "If you lay it on too much, it just becomes unbelievable," he said. "You home in on the emotion of the song, and that's the line." A lot of what's underneath this record came from something close to home. A family member went through a major breakup, a betrayal, and the emotion from that seeped into the writing without Jack fully planning for it. "It's always been a bit of an outlet for us," he said. "Once you've played, you just feel lighter. Like you've dealt with it somehow." The most loaded track for him is Stand By You, written closest to those events and too tightly wound around them to come from anywhere else when he's on stage performing it. For Harry, the song he'd point a new listener toward first is Love in Reverse — stripped back, acoustic, Jack's vocal right up front, and as close to a mission statement as anything on the record. The rest of the album, he said, is an expanded version of that same core. How It Actually Gets Made The songwriting process that produced all of it has been more or less the same since they were seventeen. Harry writes the music. Jack writes lyrics to fit it. They've worked that way since before they knew how to call it a process, since the first night Jack heard Harry playing and thought, I think I can write a song to this. There's a YouTube comment that Harry surfaced during our conversation that pretty much covers the end result: who hurts Seafret? Which is both funny and exactly right. When we called their music "happy heartbreak," they took it without hesitation, because that's genuinely what it is. Two upbeat people making music that carries real weight, not as a contradiction but as a release. "Sometimes you step back and think, where did that come from?" Harry said. "Why am I so happy, and that song is so sad?" The weight has to go somewhere, and for them it's always gone into the songs. What It Feels Like Live Ask Seafret about touring and something in the conversation shifts. They'd played Five More Seconds and Signal Fire at a festival in Romania before the album had even dropped, slotting two brand new songs into a set full of tracks they'd performed a hundred times, and Harry said they both came offstage and immediately wanted to go back out. There's a particular energy that comes with playing something fresh in a big room, and the new material apparently has more of it than anything they've brought out before. The fans who've found them through Atlantis, Harry noted, tend to show up the same way the long-timers do — emotionally connected to the music, not just algorithmically adjacent to a trending sound. "The rooms would feel different" if that weren't the case, he said, and the vulnerability in the songs requires a certain kind of audience to actually work. They've been lucky with the one they've got. Tour Poster for Seafret’s 10 Years of Tell Me It’s Real From Tea Lights to Washing Lines The Brazil story is the one that stays with you, though. First time they ever played Rio, fans had made their own Seafret shirts and hung them on washing lines down the street. Lined up, screaming as the car pulled up. Jack said he went looking around for the boss, because surely this couldn't be for him. That gap between where they started — a pub open mic with no microphone, tea lights on the tables, playing into a quiet room — and where they are now is enormous, and they seem to know it. What's Next The Tell Me It's Real 10-year anniversary is coming, with vinyl and a full UK and European tour that opens May 21 in Glasgow and runs through June 9 in Cologne. Fear of Emotion is out now on all streaming platforms. As for goals, they don't really set them. "The goal is just to create something that we love and we're proud of," Jack said, "and we've been lucky that that has connected with people." If they can make four more albums they love as much as the four they've already made, they said, that would be enough. Maybe a couple more viral moments along the way. Whatever the platform is in ten years, Harry joked, someone will probably tell them to get an account. Start with Love in Reverse. Let it do what it does. Then go back to the beginning and work your way through. Fear of Emotion is available on all streaming platforms. The Tell Me It's Real anniversary tour runs May 21 through June 9 across the UK and Europe.

A portrait of Blake Mills - Photography by Jacob Blickenstaff An in-depth look at Blake Mills and his journey, filled with in-depth music exploration and incredible collaborations. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Blake Mills is an artist himself and for others. Whether he provides precision as a session guitarist or lends his skills as a producer, he can always be found using his talents to create beloved pieces of music. From California to The World Blake Mills has traveled around due to his music career, but he began that journey in California, where he was born and raised. His journey began at a young age, when he formed a band with Taylor Goldsmith, which lasted a few years before he continued his own journey in music. Mills began touring as a guitarist for several artists, including Julian Casablancas and Band of Horses, before beginning his producing journey. Working with Legends Mills’ work in music led him to collaborate with artists such as Pink, Lana Del Rey, Fiona Apple, Ed Sheeran, and many more. His approach to music and collaborative history makes his story a fascinating one to follow. The number of artists from varying genres that he has toured with or worked with as a songwriter, producer, session musician, or engineer is what many dream about. He worked with beloved artists such as The Killers, Dixie Chicks, Norah Jones, Phoebe Bridgers, and Bob Dylan. Throughout his career, Mills has obtained many Grammy nominations and won 2 of those. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, he received a Grammy for his work with Alabama Shakes on their project ‘Sound & Color,' in the category of Best Alternative Music Album. His 2nd win was during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards for his and Pino Palladino’s album ‘That Wasn’t A Dream’ in the category Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. A Journey That Led To Producing Blake isn’t just a guitarist or producer but also a session musician, engineer, and songwriter. He has released his own music, which is highly praised by the industry and fans. His personal projects include several albums communicating his own sound, which resonates with people. His ability to be multi-faceted in this industry for artists and himself is a balance many strive for. In a recent red carpet interview at the Grammys, Blake expressed his surprise at the nominations and excitement to return home after the event and see his then 10-month-old daughter. Congratulations to Blake Mills on his wins both in the music industry and within his personal life.

Boys Like Girls performing at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). With booming sing-alongs, flickering box TVs, and emotional callbacks to their earliest records, Boys Like Girls delivered the ultimate pop-rock time machine. Article & Photos by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff For any emo/rock-adjacent teenager growing up in the late 00s, the opening notes of “The Great Escape” bring back memories of dial-up internet noises, coding a MySpace profile with HTML, running around the mall after school and on weekends… And this is exactly what screaming the words back to Boys Like Girls takes the listener back to. Yes, reminiscing on the 00s is particularly in right now, but not all nostalgia-based shows feel like they’re fueled by kerosene, adrenaline pumping through Millennial veins, and, as so eloquently put by Martin Johnson in the lyrics, “scream[ed] loud at the top of our lungs” in the same way the Soundtrack Of Your Life tour does. Opening the evening was Arrows in Action, whose bright, energetic set immediately won over the crowd. Frontman Victor Viramontes-Pattinson brought endless charisma to the stage, hair flying dramatically beneath the stage fans as the band ripped through fan favorites like “Cheekbone” and “Light Like You.” Fun moments like breaking into the Macarena mid-song and weaving a touch of High School Musical into the set only added to the playful atmosphere. Following them was I Dont Know How, But They Found Me (also known as iDKHOW), whose eccentric, almost whimsical performance shifted the tone of the night into something moodier and theatrical. Frontman Dallon Weekes effortlessly hit soaring high notes while leading the crowd through catchy staples like “Choke” and “Leave Me Alone,” proving exactly why the band has developed such a devoted following. By the time Boys Like Girls took the stage, the room had reached a full boil. Boys Like Girls performing at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). The band structured the night around their first two albums, beginning with their sophomore record, Love Drunk, before diving headfirst into their self-titled debut, Boys Like Girls. The crowd bounced relentlessly to “Love Drunk” as the original music video flickered across the multitude of stacked 00s-style box TVs decorating the stage, while “Two Is Better Than One” transformed the venue into a glowing sea of phone lights and shouted lyrics. Kicking off the second act was “The Great Escape,” during which the crowd roared every single word back at Martin Johnson so loudly that, at times, his own vocals were nearly drowned out entirely. That same electricity carried through the remainder of the self-titled album, with the audience screaming along to “Five Minutes to Midnight” and “Hero/Heroine” before shifting into something softer and more emotional during “On Top Of The World” and “Holiday.” The production itself felt carefully designed to transport the audience back into the mid-2000s. Static-filled televisions, nostalgic visuals, thick smoke filling the air, and rapidly flashing lights made the stage feel like a living scrapbook of the era. Rather than coming across as gimmicky, however, the aesthetic choices amplified the emotional core of the night: a celebration of the music that shaped an entire generation of listeners. Boys Like Girls performing at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). Martin Johnson remains one of the most captivating frontmen of the scene, balancing humor, vulnerability, and effortless rockstar charisma throughout the night. Whether sprinting across the stage, throwing the microphone toward the audience for entire choruses, or pausing to soak in the deafening crowd reactions, he carried the kind of confidence that only comes from knowing exactly what these songs mean to people. And that is what makes the Soundtrack Of Your Life tour feel so special. It is not simply nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It is about reconnecting with the version of yourself that first found comfort, confidence, and identity in these songs - even if that meant sacrificing your parents' computer to the Limewire gods. For a few hours, the crowd was no longer worried about adulthood or the endless noise of the outside world. They were teenagers again, screaming lyrics with their entire chest, hearts pounding alongside the drums, desperately trying to hold onto the moment just a little longer.

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Photos Contributed by LJ Portnoy & Rebecca McDevitt There's something refreshingly unguarded about Anthony Winters. He doesn't perform with the confidence he doesn't have, or hedge his answers. He isn't afraid to tell you that Justin Bieber is one of his biggest inspirations. He means it, and he'll tell you twice if he has to. Anthony Winters photographed in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography) The Delaware County, Pennsylvania-raised singer-songwriter sat down with SoundCheck to talk about his debut EP, his stage name origin story, and what Stranger Things has to do with his music. One thing became clear pretty quickly: Anthony Winters leads with instinct and backs it up with craft. "Stranger Things Made Me Do It" His debut EP, What We Can't Change, almost had a different name. The original title was Choosing What We Can't Change, until a friend heard it and suggested it might flow better without the first word. "I sat with it, and I was like, you know what, it still means the same thing," Anthony says. "It just immediately stuck." The concept behind it runs deeper than the title. "We're never going to be able to change the things that we've done or the things that have happened to us," he explains. "But you can grow from them and use them as fuel for whatever you're doing. It's really about who you can become after all of that." Anthony Winters photographed in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by LJ Portnoy (IG: @ljportnoy) Fittingly, the EP itself became something different than what it was supposed to be. These five songs were originally early stages of a larger album Anthony is still working on, but as the writing progressed and the sound started shifting, he realized they belonged together on their own. "When I listened to all the demos, these songs are like stories," he says. "They're one small little family that I want to keep in the same body of work. I didn't want to put them in an album when you listen to it and then all of a sudden you think, this is great, but then another song sounds nothing like it." The last piece to fall into place was "Stuck in the Middle," one of the most recently-written songs on the record, which arrived almost by accident when a friend sent over a demo that just happened to fit. The rest, he says, came in pairs. "’Rocks at Your Window’ and ‘MID JULY’ were back to-back. We wrote ‘Rocks at Your Window’, then went back in the studio and wrote ‘MID JULY’. They're kind of like brother and sister songs. And then, ‘End of the World’ came, and I was like, OK, these all have to go together in some way, shape, or form." Ask him which one's his favorite and he laughs. "That's like asking a parent which child is their favorite." But press him and he'll give you an honest answer. "’Rocks at Your Window’ is probably it. That was the one that really opened the door to everything. ‘MID JULY’ is a crowd favorite. Everybody likes ‘MID JULY’. But the one that's really started growing on me was “Set Me On Fire.” I feel that one hasn't got enough love yet on my end at least. The more I listen to it, that one kind of just hits me a little differently." The Song Paints The Picture When Anthony walked into the studio with producer, Victor to write "Rocks at Your Window," the entire creative brief was essentially: Stranger Things. "All I said was like I want something like Stranger Things. Something like Stranger Things vibes. Just something like 80s or synth-heavy. And that's what came out of it." The goal was to capture something specific: summer nights, fireworks, the carnival. "I want it to feel like summer and fireworks or like the carnival or just having that summer night." Anthony Winters performing at 118 North in Wayne, PA. (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography) That visual, almost cinematic approach is central to how Anthony writes. He describes himself as a visual writer at heart, someone who hears music and immediately starts translating it into images, into scenes. "I feel like I'm a visual writer at heart and when I listen to music, I put it to images or scenes in a movie." He keeps a running note on his phone full of one-liners and loose ideas, but most of the writing happens in the room, in real-time. "I want the song or like the sounds to kind of trigger an emotion and that's when I start to write. The song kind of paints the picture for me. And I'm just searching for it at that point." It's a process that, he admits, isn't so different from what a photographer is doing on the other side of the stage. "When you hear the first ten seconds of a song with no lyrics at all, you'd be like, oh my god, I remember at the roller rink or whatever when I was listening to that song. And it could paint this whole picture for you. I think photography works the same way. You can look at a photo and feel something the photographer didn't even consciously put there." Antonio Who? One thing that didn't just happen was the name. Anthony Winters is not the name on his birth certificate. That name is Anthony Sciarrino, or more accurately, Antonino Sciarrino, a detail he mentions with a grin and notes he's never shared in an interview before. "I've actually never said that in an interview before. You heard it here first." His father is from Sicily, which explains the very Italian real name. The stage name, though, is its own story. Anthony Winters photographed in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by LJ Portnoy (IG: @ljportnoy) Before Anthony Winters, there was A.N.T., a name that worked until it really didn't. "Searching up A.N.T. was like impossible. Ant Farm would come up, like ants, like insects." He'd had a cover rack up over three million streams on Spotify, but the traffic was going to the producer, not to him. "I started to notice everybody who found the song was going to Ty, who produced the song, and they weren't really finding me through it." So he started the search for something new, opening a running note in his phone where friends could drop ideas whenever. It took over a year. The answer ended up being closer to home than he expected. Winters is his mother's maiden name. "I wanted to still be me and feel like it's real. I didn't want to just be like, I don't know, stop sign or whatever." A friend who had gone through her own name change gave him the advice that finally got him there: "You're not going to feel like it's you until you feel like it's you. You just have to kind of force yourself to be like, no, this is who I am now." The MilkBoy Bathroom Heard It First The moment he made it official was at local venue, Milk Boy. He ran offstage, changed his Instagram handle in the bathroom, and came back out as Anthony Winters. Nobody in the crowd knew it was coming. "I changed my Instagram handle in the bathroom of MilkBoy. I ran off the stage and I went, Anthony Winters. That was the last A.N.T. show that I'm doing." Anthony Winters photographed in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography) For Now, That's Enough With a debut EP behind him and an album still taking shape, Anthony Winters is somewhere in that particular stretch of an artist's early career where everything feels like it's just starting to click. He's not chasing a sound so much as following one, letting the music tell him where it needs to go and trusting himself enough to keep up. Anthony Winters photographed in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by LJ Portnoy (IG: @ljportnoy) He seems genuinely at ease with all of it. With the uncertainty, the in-between, the songs that haven't gotten their moment yet. "You never know what's really going to hit and what's not. I've heard Ed Sheeran talk about how he hated “Shape of You.” He didn't even want to put that song out. And it was the biggest song ever. So, you never know what's really going to hit. I just want to write because I love it, not because I'm chasing something." For now, that seems like more than enough of a plan. Watch the full SoundCheck Session with Anthony Winters here:

Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI, at the Michigan Lotto Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy LIVE REVIEW · YUNGBLUD - MICHIGAN LOTTERY AMPHITHEATER AT FREEDOM HILL · STERLING HEIGHTS, MI By LJ Portnoy & Leo Lad · SoundCheck Mag The IDOLS World Tour started here. Twenty-four North American dates kicked off in a sold-out Sterling Heights amphitheater on a Friday night in May, where the temperature dropped from fifty to the thirties before YUNGBLUD ever hit the stage. By the time the lights went down, the amphitheater was speckled with snow. The crowd did not care. They did not move. They did not leave. If anything, the cold seemed to make them louder. The Room Before the Room Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI, at the Michigan Lotto Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy The venue buzz was its own show. Antsy, electric chatter across the amphitheater. The merch stand line wrapped the waywalk before the show even kicked off, fans walking out in YUNGBLUD hoodies they didn’t know they needed an hour ago. The crowd skewed a little older than expected (parents, plenty of them, plus a generation above that), and the gender split leaned slightly toward women, but the unifying thread wasn’t age. It was style. Monochrome black. Pink accents pulled from his old stylistic era. Split-dyed hair in pink, blonde, blue, green, and yellow. Piercings, tattoos, leather jackets layered over flannels layered over hoodies because Michigan in May still requires a puffer if the wind picks up. Long hair on men, short hair on women. The androgynous YUNGBLUD blueprint, mirrored back at him by 7,200 people. A genre cocktail, too. Grunge, punk, a dash of emo, a hint of country, something else underneath that you couldn’t quite name. The kind of fanbase that has outgrown being called a subculture and just calls itself the room. Return to Dust Set the Tone The Los Angeles four-piece opened the night and earned the room fast. Instrument-forward, guitar-wailing, drums steady enough to demand attention before the vocals even arrived. Their lead singer’s voice carried a similar texture to YUNGBLUD’s, which made the pairing feel intentional rather than incidental. One of the band members (the bassist, we think) spent the entire set in motion, jumping, flipping his hair, dancing across the stage like the cold was a personal challenge. A good opener does two things: it warms the room, and it doesn’t try to steal the show. Return to Dust did both. Nine Minutes of “Hello Heaven, Hello” Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI, at the Michigan Lotto Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy The photographers were briefed before the show: the first song would run roughly nine minutes. Photo pit access opened after the confetti hit during the opening number. Plan accordingly. That song is “Hello Heaven, Hello,” the epic opening track from his 2025 album IDOLS, and it is built like a cathedral. When YUNGBLUD walked out and the confetti cannons fired into a snow flurry that was still falling over Sterling Heights, the crowd did something that only the most devoted fanbases do. They went feral. Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy It was, hands down, one of the loudest crowd reactions either of us has ever heard at a Michigan show. Not surprising. YUNGBLUD has a cult following, and his fans are some of the most dedicated we have ever stood next to. They sing every word. They hold up signs they spent the afternoon making. They scream because they need to, not because they’re supposed to. The Showmanship YUNGBLUD Provides Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI, at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy Here is where YUNGBLUD separates from the pack. He is a rockstar to the hundredth degree. Not just a singer. Not just a frontman. A full-bodied, full-throttle performer who treats the stage as a starting point and the venue as the actual stage. He does not stand still. He moves from one wing to the other constantly, wiggling his hips with that flirty edge he’s known for, throwing guitar picks into the front rows, throwing a water bottle into the crowd not once but twice. He also spent roughly ninety percent of the set shirtless. In Michigan. In May. While it was snowing. The crowd in front of him was layered in puffers and flannels and leather jackets stacked over hoodies, and YUNGBLUD was on stage in nothing but his pants, sweating through a snow flurry like the weather was simply not invited to the conversation. The contrast did half the work of the show. The other half was him. “Let me see those hands in the fooking air,” he said, and they were already up. “Is Michigan fucking crazy?” he asked, and the answer was screamed back at decibels the weather could not absorb. Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy He worked Michigan into the patter constantly. Call-and-response on the third song with the crowd finishing the lines for him. A speech midway through that the room hung on. Then, in the kind of moment that becomes the story you tell about a show for years, he left the stage entirely. Walked through the pit. Walked into the 100s zone. Did backbends in the middle of his own audience. Asked someone in the front for a lighter and lit a cigarette while still performing. True rockstar behavior, in the best possible sense of that phrase. What It Felt Like Yungblud performs live in Sterling Heights, MI, at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on May 1, 2026 | Photography by @ljportnoy The energy of the venue was, genuinely, out of this world. We have covered a lot of shows in Michigan. We have stood in a lot of pits in a lot of weather. This one was different. It was bitter outside. Snow was falling in May. The wind cut through every layer the puffer-coated crowd had stacked on. And none of it mattered, because YUNGBLUD was on a stage in Sterling Heights kicking off the biggest tour of his career, and the people in front of him had decided the cold was not going to win. Sterling Heights came out to play. YUNGBLUD came out to detonate. The IDOLS World Tour is officially in motion, and if night one is any indication, every city after this one is in for it.

Photos and Article Contributed By Ernesto Raul Aguilar On the second night at a packed House of Blues in Chicago, opening artist Sundots took the stage. From the outset, the room was shoulder-to-shoulder and fully engaged, less a passive early crowd and more a group that had arrived with intent. Sundots performing at House of Blues in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (@blacksheepimagery on IG.) That connection made itself clear almost immediately. Between songs, shouts of “I love you” rang out from different corners of the floor, not as a one-off moment but as an ongoing exchange the band returned in kind. It created a feedback loop of energy that tightened the room even further, turning what could have been a standard opening set into something communal and participatory. Musically, Sundots leaned into their strengths: clean, melodic guitar work, steady rhythmic pacing, and choruses that landed with clarity. There was no sense of overreach. They let the songs carry, and the audience met them there. The set moved with intention, balancing brighter, up-tempo stretches with more reflective passages without losing the crowd’s attention. What stood out wasn’t a single peak, but the consistency of engagement. In a venue that size, early sets often feel transitional, but Sundots bypassed that entirely. By the time their set closed, what they built didn’t feel like a prelude. It felt like an experience that set the tone for the night. Sundots performing at House of Blues in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (@blacksheepimagery on IG.) For an opening slot, it was a performance defined less by introduction and more by affirmation: the band knows its audience, and on this night, that audience gave just as much back. That momentum carried straight into Panchiko’s set, which held a sense of full-circle significance. A band whose origins trace back to an internet rediscovery, with early recordings resurfacing online years after their initial release, now stood in front of a packed room. Panchiko performing at House of Blues in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (@blacksheepimagery on IG.) They opened with “Stabilisers for Big Boys,” immediately establishing an immersive tone that held steady throughout the set. The pacing felt intentional and assured, drawing the audience inward and keeping them there. “Ginkgo” stood out for its textured build and emotional clarity, resonating with a crowd that remained fully locked in. The connection continued into “Gwen Everest,” which added lift while maintaining the performance’s cohesive atmosphere. When “D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L” arrived, it landed as a true culmination, recognizable, impactful, and fully aligned with the energy in the room. The response was immediate and unified, reflecting both the song’s legacy and the band’s continued evolution. Panchiko performing at House of Blues in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (@blacksheepimagery on IG.) Throughout the set, Panchiko demonstrated a refined understanding of how to translate their story into a live setting. What once lived in obscurity has taken on a fully realized form, and in a packed House of Blues, that trajectory felt complete, artist and audience meeting at exactly the right moment. By the end of the night, what stood out wasn’t just the performances, but the consistency of connection in the room. From Sundots’ opening moments to Panchiko’s final notes, the energy never reset or dipped. It carried, built, and held. The result was a room that stayed fully engaged from start to finish, a rare kind of alignment that gave the entire show its weight.

People I've Met, perform in NYC at the iconic Mercury Lounge, for their album release party on May 2nd, 2026 | Photography by @fernandofloresphotography Inside People I’ve Met’s EP Release Show at NYC’s Iconic Mercury Lounge Photos and Article Contributed by Fernando Flores. There's something about seeing a band at the right moment. Before things get too big and the room gets too crowded, it makes the show feel more personal. And at a venue like Mercury Lounge that has helped launch names like Lady Gaga, nights as intimate as these might be a famous piece of history later. Tonight, People I’ve Met feel like they are right on the edge of glory days. A Slow Burn to Stardom People I've Met, perform in NYC at the iconic Mercury Lounge, for their album release party on May 2nd, 2026 | Photography by @fernandofloresphotography The alt-rock trio consisting of Moses Martin, Andy Suster, and Orlando Wiltshire is emerging strong, building something intentional, and choosing to first perform it live in such an infamous venue. Before getting where they are now, their story starts in the middle school jazz ensemble in Los Angeles. An unlikely beginning, but one that explains a lot. As the year went by, the band reunited on the East Coast for college, where their sound began to sharpen. The slow boil of gradual development carries into their debut EP Bunny, released May 1, 2026. The project didn't arrive all at once. And unfolded over time. “Promise” Came first in December 2025, followed by “For Hire” in January, then “Loving One” in March. Each track added another layer, giving a sense of direction without fully revealing the whole picture. Now, with Bunny, that picture feels more complete. The two new tracks, “Bastards” and “I Want It I Want It” round out the release, pushing their sound further without losing that sense of openness. Moses Martin has described their goal as creating music that feels like a world you can step into. It's an ambitious idea, but it comes through. The songs take their time. They stretch. They leave space where other bands might fill it. People I've Met, perform in NYC at the iconic Mercury Lounge, for their album release party on May 2nd, 2026 | Photography by @fernandofloresphotography Tonight’s show at Mercury Lounge is all about the celebration of the release of the new EP Bunny. Fans line up full of excitement and giddy knowing that they are going to be amongst the first to listen to People I’ve Met perform the new EP live. Who wouldn’t be ecstatic! Openers Bring The Power One by one the venue filled up with fans from all around. Moments before the first performer steps on the stage, the fans are already filling the venue with good vibes and strong energy. Rose Paradise, who waits not one second in showing us her extreme talents. She captures the attention of every person in the venue with her deep soulful melodies. The crowd ever so mesmerized by her music sways to the melody and not once turns away from her incredible performance. Up next, Nudey steps on stage with complete raw energy and amazing vocals. They bring the indie rock scene to Mercury Lounge. One can tell the amount of love and effort they put into their music and performances. All around the venue crowds of new and old fans just vibe out with their music. Every second kept the audience hooked with the talent Nudey clearly has. Anticipation Peaks for The Main Attraction! People I've Met, perform in NYC at the iconic Mercury Lounge, for their album release party on May 2nd, 2026 | Photography by @fernandofloresphotography Once the opening acts finish the crowd is even more excited to see People I’ve Met Premiere their new EP live. Suddenly, a roar fills the crowd as People I’ve Met hits the stage. From the first nodes, there's a quiet confidence in the room period it doesn't hit all at once. It builds slowly, almost patiently, like the band knows exactly where they're going even if the audience is still catching up. What stands out most is how unguarded everything feels. There's no sense of over-polishing, no attempt to smooth out every edge. It gives the music a kind of restlessness like it is still evolving even as it's being performed. Hearing songs from Bunny live shifts them slightly. Tracks that feel distant on record become more immediate in a room this size. You feel the changes in tempo, the pauses and the tension. The standout moment was when Orlando played the starting notes of Bastard from their new EP. Although the song just came out, it was a quick fan favorite. The whole room starts dancing and completely vibing with the upbeat hypnotic tempo of Orlando’s drums. The moment felt so magical that the room filled with a completely different type of energy throughout the entirety of the song. The dynamic between the three of them is part of what makes it work. Suster’s bass holds things together without drawing too much attention. Wiltshire’s drumming moves between restraint and intensity, guiding the pace without overpowering it. And Martin stays at the center of it all, moving between distance and vulnerability. Each one of them brings their own flair to the band and to their performances. They have the capability to easily become fan favorites of a crowd that might be just hearing about them now. Future Outlook for People I've Met So, it's easy to see where this is heading. Festival slots Reading and Leeds are already lined up, and the rooms will only get bigger from here. But tonight isn't about that. Not really. Tonight is about proximity and celebration. About catching a band at its root before everything expands. People I've Met, perform in NYC at the iconic Mercury Lounge, for their album release party on May 2nd, 2026 | Photography by @fernandofloresphotography Walking out, there's a lingering feeling that’s hard to pin down. Not just that the music was good but that you witnessed something at the right time. With the Bunny out now, People I’ve Met feel like they're stepping into something new. Still evolving but moving forward with intention. It’s refreshing to see talent like this. Not something that’s recycled but a band that brings their unique flair to the table. People I’ve Met is sure to become a quick fan favorite, another big name in the Mercury Lounge Hall of Fame.

Article and Photos Contributed by Madison Cozzens Logan Madsen of West 22nd performing at Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland. Photography by Madison Cozzens (@coz_artphoto on IG.) West 22nd made a stop at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland on the tail end of their ‘to be or not to be” tour. The group was originally going to play at the 148-capacity Beachland Tavern, but due to high demand, they moved to the larger stage. Despite the cold and rainy spring weather in Cleveland, Beachland was warm and inviting. The crowd was buzzing with excitement and was ready to make some memories. Dipsea Flowers Sets the Tone Dipsea Flower performing at Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland. Photography by Madison Cozzens (@coz_artphoto on IG.) The LA-based indie quartet Dipsea Flower was the perfect opener for the evening. The group, consisting of Ari Rosenberg (vocals, guitar), Marley Striem (bass), Trevor Hurvitz (guitar), and Andy Baker (drums), met in college and released their first single, “Hummingbird,” in 2023. Their blend of vintage California rock, folk, and modern indie energized the crowd and got them ready for the main act. At the halfway point of their performance, Dipsea Flower performed an acoustic set of their song “Burnouts”. No mics, no drums; just guitar and the crowd clapping to keep the beat. The acoustic production matched the vibe and lyrics of the song and left the crowd with a memorable performance. Dipsea Flower announced to the crowd that they were releasing a new song at midnight. New and old fans alike had something to look forward to after the show that night. The song “Painted Pictures” combines folksy tunes with an upbeat indie beat. West 22nd Brings the Energy The group began their set with the song “Laugh it Off”, the opening guitar riff letting fans know the fun was about to begin. The crowd screamed as lead singer, Logan Madsen, took the stage and began to sing. Madsen’s energy was infectious, moving around the stage and playing with the mic stand. At many points during the show, he took a step back and gave the crowd the opportunity to sing the lyrics. The ballroom filling with the collective voices of everyone singing their hearts out. The group played “Virginia Highlands” and “Sunburns,” two of their most popular songs. The surfer-rock guitar riffs and high energy took the venue somewhere sunny and filled with good vibes West 22nd describes themselves as carousel rock, spinning through genre, emotion, and energy without ever losing its center. It’s a term they coined to capture the controlled chaos of their music: sometimes dizzying, sometimes grounding, always unforgettable. West 22nd delivered, taking fans through a trip filled with happiness, heartbreak, and everything in between. Fans enjoying the West 22nd show at Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland. Photography by Madison Cozzens (@coz_artphoto on IG.) During the show, West 22nd slowed things down and turned off the lights. Fans immediately knew what to do, picking up their phones and turning on their flashlights. The stage began to brighten as the flashlights filled the crowd all the way to the back of the room. Madsen began to sing a love ballad as fans swayed back and forth, soaking in the lyrics. It was a moment of calm during the high-energy indie-rock show, giving everyone a moment to bring their emotions to the surface. Logan Madsen of West 22nd performing at Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland. Photography by Madison Cozzens (@coz_artphoto on IG.) West 22nd is comprised of Logan Madsen (lead vocalist), Gabe Acevedo (rhythm guitarist), Jeremy Ancheta (lead guitarist), Jet Beck (bassist), and Tyler Kerch (drums). The group was formed while the band members were students at UT Austin. West 22nd performing at Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland. Photography by Madison Cozzens (@coz_artphoto on IG.) West 22nd made a name for themselves in 2024 when they were the first group made up of current UT students in the Austin City Limits Festival lineup. Even before their ACL debut, they were playing gigs across the city and the country while continuing their studies in school. Their show still feels like a local college performance, authentic and enthusiastic, connecting with their fans. West 22nd will only continue to grow, with their catchy melodies, fun riffs, and loyal fan base. We can't wait to see their next moves.

BTS Stars in the behind-the-scenes photoshoot for 'ARIRANG' link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxn0Sd36Tg Article contributed by Monica Soriano BTS is known as the act that paved the way for K-pop to reach mainstream audiences, and after years of absence, they're back and ready to hit the stage. At the height of their international success, the band BTS abruptly announced their hiatus to enlist in South Korea’s mandatory military service. This was almost 4 years ago. Recently, they have made their official comeback, releasing a new album, tour dates, and selling out lightsticks around the world. Beyond The K Pop Label With their worldwide popularity and extreme success, the band from South Korea has surpassed the label of a K-pop boy band. Their success is bigger than K-pop. They are internationally loved and praised for their music. While they will always be tied to the world of K-pop, they have far exceeded what was dreamt of in the past for Idols. Back To Their Roots: Arirang On March 20, 2026 BTS released their comeback album Arirang, which was well received by the critics. BTS previously hinted that the album would be them going back to their roots. While many people interpreted this to mean it would be a heavily Korean language album with nods to their Korean upbringing; upon listening it was clear that their roots meant their Hip Hop beginnings. There are wonderful moments celebrating Korean culture, people and music woven intentionally into the album with heavy hip-hop elements reminiscent of their early post debut years. BTS Stars in the behind-the-scenes photoshoot for 'ARIRANG' link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxn0Sd36Tg In 2014, RM, J-hope, Suga, Jin, Jimin, Jung Kook and V premiered their reality show American Hustle Life in which they spent time in Los Angeles, CA learning about Hip Hop. 11 years later the group returned to Los Angeles after completing their military service to work on their new album. Their career has been filled with both success and pauses. After their pop centered releases such as “Dynamite”, “Butter” and “Permission to Dance”, BTS returned to the time in which they roamed the streets of Hollywood in hopes to fill a show. Without their Hip Hop beginnings BTS wouldn’t be BTS. Creating an album like Arirang after achieving mainstream pop success is true appreciation for their early days. BTS WORLDWIDE: Their Anticipated Tour As their world tour is approaching, BTS has had a couple performances giving Army an idea of what to expect during their shows. On March 21, 2026, the band held a comeback concert in Seoul, South Korea. It was filled with excitement and filmed for Netflix to be accessible to fans everywhere. Days later, the group appeared in New York City’s Pier 17 for a Spotify x BTS: SWIMSIDE live performance and Q&A. During their tour, the group will have performances in Japan, Australia, Mexico, United States and many many more locations. This tour is expected to be full of energy, a mixture of their most popular songs and their introduction of Arirang. The only thing left to do is wait for the tour to officially start to see how they present themselves after the 4 year hiatus. Army Sells Out Lightsticks, Merch & More BTS Stars in the behind-the-scenes photoshoot for 'ARIRANG' link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxn0Sd36Tg There are videos circulating online of empty shelves due to the demand for BTS albums and Army Bombs. With a fanbase as large as Army it is no wonder that the excitement for this comeback is all over social media. Army truly knows how to show support and say they’ve been waiting and they are ready for this new era. We are looking forward to keeping up with BTS and all their upcoming performances and releases. Welcome back RM, J-hope, Suga, Jin, Jimin, Jung Kook and V!

Jai’Len gives us a glimpse into her musical influences, her growth and details about how ‘Serial Romantic’ came to be. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Since the release of her last project ‘Southern Delicacy’ in 2023, many fans were anticipating Jai’Len’s return. Now, years later, she is back with a fully conceptualized debut album. Recently, Jai’Len Josey shared some of her thoughts and experiences with us in regards to ‘Serial Romantic’ and her musical growth. Photo Contributed by 1824 / UMG Upon hearing her speak, we immediately felt her charisma fill her surroundings. Her R&B sound is mixed with different genres and influences which are noticeable throughout her work. The singer-songwriter told us that her influences in music range from Chaka Khan and Michael Jackson to Luther and Beyonce. She gave credit to her mom for always having great artists such as Donny Hathaway and Aretha Franklin playing in the house. This view into her inspirations makes perfect sense when diving into her discography. Personal & Musical Growth for Jai’Len Her debut album ‘Serial Romantic’ is full of personal experiences and relatability. When asked about her album’s storytelling and what this means to her she said “The album is about being selfish after being selfless for so long…… i feel like being a serial romantic means all of the trials that you go through different relationships and through different experiences with whether it’s with family or people or whoever you give heart to. Knowing that at the end of the day, you can’t pour into somebody’s cup if you don’t have anything to pour.” It simply gave us an idea of how she approached this subject matter in a real and more mature way; Jai’Len was only 23 during her ‘Southern Delicacy’ era and now she is 27. She stated her biggest change since her last project has been “maturity in my mental health……in ‘Southern Delicacy’ I was younger and just nervous and anxious .....I had to overcome truly just being in my head.” If anyone has ever wondered where Jai’Len Josey gets her inspiration from currently, she expressed "I've been drawing inspiration from the feeling that I get when I’m in my jeep by myself at 6am going to the gym. I think that that is an experience in itself where it’s like you really have to force yourself to get up out of bed and just go….I relate that to my music because the experiences that you have when you’re by yourself, the most personal, are the ones you truly don’t get to speak about and I really thought I needed to speak about them in music right now.” She went on to say that her music now is about liberation. Her songwriting process is often layered with wonder to which Jai’Len said “I love a good metaphor” and “I’m a big fan of grammar” so she uses those to her advantage. More Color To Her Music Jai’Len spoke about working with producer Tricky Stewart and how he helped bring this project together. She said that she personally appreciates high energy music and Tricky was able to “add a little silk to this…put a different color palette here.” Their different approach to music blended beautifully within this album and it’s great to hear her speak with optimism about their collaboration. Lastly, since this project is such a special piece of work we had to ask her if there was a moment while creating this album that was memorable or impactful for her. To this she said “My mom is a big critic, you know, my mom worked in the industry ….. I was unsure but then after I saw her expression, I think seeing my mom actually have nothing but great things to say about it.…..I really feel like that has been the best moment. Just knowing that I did something that my mom really really loves.” ‘Serial Romantic’ is full of life, heart, feelings and color. We are excited for this new era Jai’Len has embarked on and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the talented singer.

The multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ichiko Aoba captivated the audience with her angelic voice. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano On Friday April 24, 2026 Japanese singer Ichiko Aoba presented herself accompanied by string orchestra group 12 Ensemble and composer Taro Umebayashi to an audience at The Walt Disney Concert Hall. We were in attendance at this performance. While arriving we were greeted with friendly staff that was accommodating and easily guided us to find our seat. The Disney Concert Hall is utterly beautiful with 360° seating that expands vertically. As seats were filling up, it was announced that no photography or videography would be allowed during the presentation. It became clear later on why this was important. A Quiet & Mesmerized Audience The lights dimmed and Ichiko Aoba made her entrance. She had a shiny long silver dress with poet style sleeves that beautifully stood out in the dark room. Without saying a word she picked up her acoustic guitar and began her set. From the very first song, the audience was silent, captivated and fully submerged in her voice. After a couple songs she was joined by 12 Ensemble members and Taro Umebayashi. She introduced herself and continued the show. Her music is a blend of folk, classical and ambient among others that truly resonates with audiences. It was almost completely silent in the room but with applause at the end of each song. Many artists would normally want their fans to be loud and lively but during an interview with Derrick Gee she stated that many audience members in fact fall asleep at her shows; she seemed rather welcoming to the idea that her voice allows people to doze off. This experience made perfect sense why no videos or photos were allowed, this show was whimsical and very peaceful. The set design and lighting accompanied the songs in alignment, often switching colors, producing smoke or creating a stunning atmosphere of flashing lights that filled the entire room. A True Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist Throughout the show Ichiko switched between acoustic guitar, electric guitar and an electric piano synthesizer. Her ability to create a space that seems far away from the city is admirable. She performed for just under 2 hours and our favorite songs included “FLAG”, “Hagupit”, “惑星の泪” (Wakusei No Namida) and of course “Asleep Among Endives.” At the end she thanked Taro Umebayashi and the 12 Ensemble members individually. While she sat for the entirety of her show, the very last song she performed standing. After everyone exited the stage, there was a hope and voices encouraging an encore. It wasn’t long before Ichiko Aoba joyfully skipped back to the stage and performed 2 more songs, one being a gorgeous french version of “Seabed Eden.” She thanked everyone else including lighting and both U.S. and Japanese Staff, bowed alongside the performers onstage and waved goodbye with a smile. We’re Just Glad To Have Experienced This Tour Overall, sitting in and soaking Ichiko Aoba’s talent was a wonderful and unique experience. 12 Ensemble was a great choice to accompany her, hearing each and every instrument live and form a mesmerizing performance is unforgettable. The Walt Disney Concert Hall was a perfect choice for this specific show and provided a beautiful sound. Ichiko Aoba is continuing her North American tour and we are glad to have witnessed her talent live. We will be keeping up with her and her future shows/music.

Almost Here’s 20th anniversary tour shone as a living, breathing love letter to the 2000s. Article & Photos by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff There are shows that feel like concerts, and then there are shows that feel like stepping through a wormhole in time. The Academy Is…’s Almost Here 20th Anniversary tour landed firmly in the latter, pulling the crowd headfirst into the glittering, angst-laced heartbeat of the mid-2000s and refusing to let go. The Academy Is… performing at Emo's in Austin, TX. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). Setting the tone for the night was Jon Walker, delivering a scaled-down, solo set armed with nothing but an electric guitar and a quiet confidence that felt almost conspiratorial. He serenaded the crowd with original songs, such as “Sun and Moon” and “Fairytale” before leaning fully into the spirit of nostalgia that hovered over the room like a familiar melody you hadn’t realized you missed. Closing his set with covers of Fall Out Boy’s “Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today,” The Young Vein’s “Take A Vacation!,” and Panic! At The Disco’s “Nine In The Afternoon,” Walker didn’t just warm up the crowd, he rewound them. Each chorus felt like flipping through an old yearbook, each lyric a scribbled note in the margins. By the time his set ended, the audience wasn’t just ready for The Academy Is… they were submerged in the 00s, positively buzzing for what was to come. Jon Walker performing at Emo's in Austin, TX. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). And then came the main event. Taking the stage with the kind of electricity that doesn’t dim with time, The Academy Is… launched into Almost Here in its entirety, celebrating two decades since its release with a performance that felt anything but dated. Instead, it pulsed with the urgency and vitality of a band that knows exactly what these songs mean, both to themselves and to the crowd rejoicing in front of them. From the opening notes, it was clear this wasn’t just a playthrough of a familiar album - it was so much more. The crowd screamed every word back at the stage with unwavering intensity, their voices colliding into a chorus that blurred the line between the band onstage and audience. It didn’t matter if the song was one that had soundtracked their teenage years or one that had only been out for a matter of weeks, the enthusiasm never wavered. Each lyric was delivered like it still had something to prove, like it still mattered just as much now as it did then. Woven between the Almost Here tracklist were fan favorites like “About A Girl,” “LAX to O’Hare,” and “We’ve Got A Big Mess On Our Hands,” each one landing like a familiar punch to the chest in the best possible way. And then, seamlessly, the band bridged past and present with songs from their recently released and long-awaited album Almost There. Tracks like “L Train,” “2005,” and “Miracle” didn’t feel like newcomers trying to earn their place. Instead, they slotted into the set with a natural ease, as if they had always belonged in this world. The Academy Is… performing at Emo's in Austin, TX. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). At the center of it all shone William Beckett, whose vocals were as sharp and controlled as ever. His stage presence was magnetic, his energy infectious, constantly reaching out and pulling the crowd along with him. There was a sense of familiarity in the way he moved, in the way he egged the audience on with the same vigor that defined the band’s early days, but it never felt like a reenactment. Joined by most of the original band, it felt lived-in, fully realized, and undeniably present. What made the night even more striking was the crowd itself, a kaleidoscope of eras colliding in real time. There were elder emos clad in outfits as black as their hearts, longtime fans in local sports jerseys and jeans, and younger attendees channeling the spirit of 00s scene kids with colorful, teased hair and friendship bracelets stacked all the way up their arms. It was a visual reminder that this music didn’t just belong to one moment in time. It had stretched, evolved, and found new life in every person singing along. In a world that moves quickly, often leaving its past behind without a second thought, The Academy Is… proved that some things don’t fade. They transform, they deepen, they gather new meaning with every passing year. The Academy Is… performing at Emo's in Austin, TX. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG). For one night, Almost Here wasn’t just an album celebrating its 20th anniversary. It was a living, breathing time capsule, one that invited everyone in the room to remember who they were, who they are, and maybe, just maybe, who they’ve been all along.

Article and Photos Contributed by Ernesto Raul Aguilar The Afterglow Tour with Bob Moses, joined by Cannons and opening act Oxis, arrived at The Salt Shed in Chicago on April 22 and delivered a night defined by atmosphere, pacing, and cohesion. The show unfolded with intention, each set flowing seamlessly into the next and shaping a larger emotional arc. It was a lineup that fully embraced mood and immersion, drawing the crowd in from the very beginning. Bob Moses performing at The Salt Shed in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (IG: @blacksheepimagery) Oxis opened the evening with a set that immediately established that tone. Working through ambient textures, downtempo rhythms, and off-center beat structures, she created a sound that felt fluid and immersive, guided by a gradual pull that drew the crowd deeper in. Tracks like “Long Sardine,” “Flounder,” and “Piranha” hinted at the underwater quality of the set, where elements drifted, swelled, and dissolved into one another. There was a patience to her performance that stood out, with every moment feeling intentional and fully realized. She allowed space to do part of the work, letting subtle shifts in tone and rhythm reveal themselves over time. The result was a crowd that leaned in, fully engaged and locked into the atmosphere she created. It was an understated opening that set the foundation for everything that followed and gave the night a strong sense of identity early on.\ Oxis performing at The Salt Shed in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (IG: @blacksheepimagery) Cannons took that foundation and added shape and momentum while maintaining the evening’s atmospheric throughline. Performing without Paul Davis as he continues to recover from a recent medical emergency, the band remained composed and fully in control of their sound. Michelle Joy’s vocals were steady and weightless, gliding over polished, reverb-soaked production that filled the room with a warm, late-night glow. Songs like “Hurricane” and “Bright Lights” provided lift, pushing the energy forward while maintaining the band’s signature restraint. Mid-set, “Bad Dream” and “Desire” introduced a darker undercurrent that added depth and dimension to the performance. What stood out most was their control, with each moment feeling intentional and the transitions between songs unfolding smoothly and naturally. They closed with “Fire for You,” a moment that felt shared across the room, its familiarity and slow build washing over the crowd in a way that was both intimate and expansive. Cannons performing at The Salt Shed in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (IG: @blacksheepimagery) By the time Bob Moses took the stage, the night moved into its most kinetic phase. Their set leaned fully into rhythm and repetition, creating a steady pulse that moved through the venue and carried the crowd with it. Built on cycles of tension and release, the performance thrived on control and timing. Tracks like “Tearing Me Up” and “Enough to Believe” served as central anchors, each rise and drop met with a unified response from the floor. “Desire” extended that momentum further, unfolding into one of the most driving passages of the night as bass and percussion took hold and pushed the energy forward. They closed with “Blink,” a finale that sustained the momentum and kept the energy in motion, leaving the crowd in that lingering afterglow the tour promises as the night carried out into Chicago. Bob Moses performing at The Salt Shed in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (IG: @blacksheepimagery)

Image sourced from IG @jessiejodillion Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Songwriter Spotlight: Jessie Jo Dillon - Dominating Country Music Jessie Jo Dillon has credits in the songs of some of today’s most beloved country superstars, including Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, and Jelly Roll, to name a few. Jessie Jo Dillon isn’t just the daughter of a country star and a record label executive; she has carved out her own space in Nashville as a songwriter. Her extensive discography has led her to write for, and with, an endless list of household country names. Dominating country music can’t be easy, but Jessie certainly has a way with words that create fan favorite songs. Collaborating with Big Names There may be a secret to her success, but it could also be years of consistency, hard work, and many, many collaborations. A very popular song that Dillon co - wrote is Dan + Shay’s “10,000 Hours,” which had a Justin Bieber feature and won a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Jessie Jo co - wrote Old Dominion’s “Memory Lane,” which was a lead single and shares the same name as their 5th studio album. Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Jelly Roll, and Megan Moroney are only a few names on her long list of collaborators. Her impressive body of work has led her name to be a Nashville favorite. Songwriter Recognition, Awards & More Image sourced from IG: @JessieJoDillion It is because of her extensive resume in Country Music that Jessie Jo Dillon was nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the Grammy Awards for 3 consecutive years. She has also won in the category Songwriter of the Year at the CMA Awards. The true recognition of her work and talent lies within the words her collaborators use when speaking about her. She receives praise and warmth from artists such as Kelsea Ballerini, Karen Fairchild, and more. Keith Urban performed “Messed Up As Me” to honor Jessie during the 17th ACM Honors. The best thing about songwriters being recognized by their peers, the fans, and the music industry is that their names continue to get cemented within history. There is much to look forward to from Jessie Jo Dillon, and we can’t be happier to keep up with her already massive success.

Article and Photos Contributed by Hannah Hampton The Philadelphia stop of Age of Madness’ “Mount Olympus Tour” felt less like a typical rock show and more like a carefully staged collision between theater and live music. This performance carried an energy that was both intimate and charged, with a dedicated fan base that arrived ready to participate! Age of Madness performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Hannah Hampton (IG: @hannahmaryhampton) Age of Madness is an intriguing and somewhat unconventional rock project that manages to balance theatrical flair with genuine musical substance. Formed by Jeremy Jordan alongside collaborators like Sarah Charness on violin and Mikael on guitar, the band occupies a space somewhere between modern alternative rock and dramatic, almost cinematic storytelling. While still relatively under the radar compared to mainstream acts, Age of Madness offers a compelling artistic identity that feels both deliberate and emotionally charged. At its core, the band thrives on contrast. Their sound blends raw, guitar-driven rock with unexpected elements like electric violin, creating a texture that feels richer than the standard three-piece setup. According to available descriptions, their music emphasizes grit and storytelling, combining heavy riffs with sweeping melodic layers and dynamic vocal delivery. This fusion allows Age of Madness to stand out, where many bands either lean heavily on nostalgia or chase today’s trends. Age of Madness performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Hannah Hampton (IG: @hannahmaryhampton) One of the most striking aspects of Age of Madness is their commitment to emotional intensity. Their songs often feel like narrative experiences rather than simple compositions, filled with poetic imagery and themes that reflect both personal and societal struggles. With songs named after Greek Gods, such as Apollo and Dionysus. Age of Madness takes a very unique approach which makes their music particularly engaging for those who appreciate depth and intention in songwriting. Vocally, Jordan brings a unique presence to the band. Known primarily for his work in theater, he carries over a sense of drama and precision into his rock performances. His voice is powerful yet controlled, capable of shifting from softer, introspective moments to explosive choruses. This theatrical influence could easily feel out of place in a rock setting, but here, it becomes a defining strength. Rather than diluting the band’s authenticity, it enhances their storytelling and adds a distinctive emotional range. Age of Madness performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Hannah Hampton (IG: @hannahmaryhampton) Instrumentally, the band demonstrates a clear respect for classic rock traditions while still forging their own path. The guitar work leans into familiar rock structures but is elevated by the addition of violin, which introduces a layer of sophistication and unpredictability. This combination creates a sound that feels both grounded and expansive, capable of shifting moods within a single track. Age of Madness performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Hannah Hampton (IG: @hannahmaryhampton) In conclusion, Age of Madness is a promising and creatively ambitious band that offers something refreshingly different within modern rock. Their blend of theatrical storytelling, emotional depth, and innovative instrumentation sets them apart from many contemporaries. While they are still evolving and refining their identity, the foundation they have built suggests significant potential. For listeners seeking rock music that feels both expressive and thoughtfully constructed, Age of Madness is well worth exploring!

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Some songs ask you to feel something. Others just make you feel it before you even realize what's happening. "Medicina", the Spanish-language collaboration between artist Dav Julca and DJ and producer Deleasa, falls firmly into the second category, and that's entirely the point. The track operates like a prescription. The title means exactly what it says: La vibra esta divina, las bocinas siempre arriba, and the energy is coming to recharge you whether you're ready or not. There's an infectious confidence baked into the production, upbeat, warm, built for movement, that makes the whole thing feel like a party that was already in progress when you walked in. What's most interesting about "Medicina" is how deliberately its structure mirrors its message. The hook doesn't just repeat, it insists. A brief turn through "yo decreto cuando gozo" sets the intention, and then the chant pulls you right back in. Over and over. That's not a lack of complexity, that's the whole design. Anyone who has ever written an affirmation knows you don't say it once. You say it until your nervous system believes it. "Ten cuidado, es pegajoso." By the time that line lands, it's already too late. The song has been working on you the whole time. For Deleasa, the track feels like a natural extension of his instinct for energy curation, the same sensibility that translates live, just bottled and delivered in under three minutes. Linking up with Dav makes complete sense -- this is squarely his world too, and the ease between them shows. Two friends making exactly the kind of music they'd want to be in a room listening to together. Put it on when you need a reset. That's the whole prescription.

Miley Cyrus revealed the poster for her 20th anniversary special of Hannah Montana with Hulu. Disney Channel viewers were impacted by the show, the music, and Miley’s career; to this day, Hannah Montana remains embedded in pop culture. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano There was a time when kids and teens everywhere were begging for a blonde wig with bangs and a microphone. They needed to be the most famous pop star with a secret normal life - Hannah Montana. 20 years later, the impact of the series is celebrated.  Hannah Montana’s Successful 4 Season Run (Plus A Movie!) Who would have thought that a show on Disney Channel would create a phenomenon that transcended TV audiences? Hannah Montana was first released in 2006 and ran until 2011. A film and 4 seasons of the series created during that time are, and still are, beloved by fans everywhere. Part of what made this world fun for viewers was the comedy, music, the premise of a pop star living a normal life, the cast, and the many guest stars. Corbin Bleu, Austin Butler, Kat Graham, Jesse McCartney, Dolly Parton, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson were only a few of the names that made appearances in Hannah Montana. The wackiness and comedic elements allowed for the show to find a place for varying guests, including Dr. Phil, John Cena, and Joey Fatone. The Jonas Brothers’ popular appearance on Hannah Montana led to the song “We Got The Party” by both Hannah and The Jonas Brothers. David Archuleta, appearing on Hannah Montana, is still to this day a fan favorite along with their duet “I Wanna Know You”.  In the film Hannah Montana: The Movie, Taylor Swift, early in her career, made a short appearance to perform a song. The movie premiered in theaters and was a hit with the fans. It also produced “The Climb”, which to this day is a fan favorite song from Miley Cyrus.  Hannah Montana’s Charting Songs & Best of Both Worlds Tour Hannah Montana’s success as an artist surpassed what any executive, cast member, or producer could have imagined. Hannah was everywhere, merch was being purchased left and right…and the music? The music was charting. “The Best of Both Worlds” was the title track of the show, and it made it into the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Other songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 were “Life’s What You Make It”, “If We Were A Movie”, and “Nobody’s Perfect”. “He Could Be The One” peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, making it the highest charting song from Hannah Montana.  The Best of Both Worlds Tour was highly anticipated; not only were the Jonas Brothers opening the tour, but it was Miley’s introduction to the world as Miley Cyrus, the artist. This tour made a clear division between Miley’s on-screen personality, Hannah Montana, and her real-life self. It wasn’t only a successful tour, but it was turned into a documentary-style concert film which premiered in theaters…in 3D!  Disney’s Gamble on Miley Cyrus It was recently revealed that over 1,200 girls auditioned for the role of Hannah Montana, including names like Lucy Hale, Taylor Momsen, and Jojo. Miley Cyrus was still young and lacked experience in acting, but Disney took a chance. The series became a success, and she became bigger than the show itself. Miley Cyrus’ Success Surpassed Hannah Montana Photography Credit to: @nishajohny Miley Cyrus’ journey post Hannah Montana has been filled with different music genres, legendary pop culture moments, and consistent release of music. Miley has 9 studio albums, not including her Hannah Montana discography. She had a huge fan base with the Hannah Montana series, but it was her star power, personality, and music that continued to grow her career. Fans grew alongside Miley; when she was trying new music genres, new hairstyles, going through heartbreak, or just living life.  Today, Miley Cyrus is a Grammy Award-winning singer who has learned to fully embrace the role that once put her on the path to stardom. She celebrates her life and accomplishments and seems excited for the future. 20th Anniversary Celebration & Fan Nostalgia The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary celebration was all anyone who was a fan of the show could talk about. Recently, there was a nostalgia-filled special released by Disney+ in celebration of the show. In under an hour, we were transported back in time through the sets, pieces of wardrobe shown, and Miley Cyrus re-recorded and performing “The Best of Both Worlds”. To fans, it feels as though the special could have been longer and included more of the series cast, like Mitchel Musso and Emily Osment, but it still managed to hit the nostalgia factor.  There was so much excitement revolving around this 20th anniversary special; many fans recreated Hannah Montana's looks online and simply enjoyed themselves. Many actors who played beloved characters on the show walked the purple carpet, including Jason Earles, Ana Maria Perez de Tagle, Cody Linley, Shanica Knowles, and many more! The music from both Miley and Hannah was something that raised people; it stayed with them through the good and the bad. The nostalgia isn’t just looking back at the show but at the feelings and situations from 20 years ago. Pretending to be a rockstar in the living room, attending a first concert, being comforted by “Nobody’s Perfect” or just finding the necessary distraction Hannah Montana provided.

HAYLA performs in concert | Photography by @ljportnoy Article Contributed by LJ Portnoy HAYLA — "Heal" | Single Review You think you know an artist. Then they hand you something like this. "Heal" isn't the HAYLA you've been dancing to — it's the one she's been keeping to herself. And we're so glad she's finally letting us in. Released April 10, the new single feels like a deliberate exhale after years of collaborative highs. And what a breath it is. HAYLA has built her name on euphoric moments.The GRAMMY-nominated "In My Arms" with ILLENIUM, the dancefloor-ready "FADED" with Nelly Furtado, the Dance Radio #1 "Where You Are" with John Summit, but "Heal" strips all of that away. What's left is just her, a piano, and something she clearly needed to say. Healing Discovered The song opens with ambient sounds and quiet distortions at the front of the track that feel less like production choices and more like the nervous silence before an honest conversation. Produced by Magnus Skylstad, the arrangement leans heavily into piano, more so than anything she's released before, with atmospheric sounds and pieces threading throughout, unhurried and cinematic. It doesn't rush you. It waits for you to catch up. This song sounds older, wiser, more mature. Her other tracks have been more fun, more playful. This one feels like a change for her, in the best possible way. A new chapter. A new evolution. And then she sings. HAYLA's voice, a mezzo-soprano with an alto's depth and a range that climbs effortlessly above it, has always been her most undeniable asset, but here it operates differently. There's no drop coming to catch her. No build to hide behind. The vocals are haunting. It's just the voice, and it's confident and devastatingly controlled. She carries the full emotional weight of the song on its own. The second chorus is where "Heal" fully opens up, crescendoing elegantly and showcasing HAYLA's vocal prowess in a way that stops you mid-breath. Her vocals shine like Adele's, but with a confidence that is entirely, unmistakably her own. And live? This is one of those songs that the performance is sure not to disappoint. Her vocals soars above the crowd and swallow you whole — and we cannot wait to see this one performed. Our Sit-Down with HAYLA When we sat down with HAYLA for Underground Radar earlier this year, she told us she sees her project as an extension of herself — not a persona. That she writes from lived experience, and knows when a song is ready to be shared. "Heal" is the purest proof of that philosophy yet. She's spoken openly about writing the song while navigating a new relationship — questioning whether healing was something she owed herself, or something she was quietly asking someone else to carry for her. That tension lives in every lyric. The Chorus, Unwrapped The chorus — "I want you to heal the parts of me that no one sees / I fear it but it's good for me / what lies beneath awakening"  — lands like a confession rather than a hook. There's a plea in it, something longing and begging beyond the words themselves. She wants this person to heal her. But here's what the music tells you that the lyrics don't quite say outright — she isn't sure they can. The sadness and power of this tune suggest a woman asking for something she's terrified she may never actually receive. The song doesn't resolve that doubt. It just sits with it — honestly, quietly, the way real healing actually works. Final thoughts Image courtesy of FALCON PUBLICITY HAYLA first performed "Heal" during her fall 2025 North American headlining tour, and brought it to London's iconic St Pancras Church earlier this year, a setting that feels almost destined for a song this reverent. We know firsthand what she sounds like in a room that goes still. We were there at El Club in Detroit last December, a snowstorm delayed the doors nearly two hours, and not one person left. She told us in our Underground Radar conversation that live performance quiets her anxiety rather than amplifying it. That the stage is a source of peace. We saw exactly that in Detroit, and it's immortalized in our feature on her in Issue 7 alongside David Archuleta. You hear it in "Heal" too. With a solo EDC Las Vegas debut on the horizon this May and a spot on the Breakaway Ohio lineup at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus on May 29-30, sharing a bill with KYGO, GRiZ, REZZ, and more. It's the kind of momentum HAYLA has built only grows when an artist starts telling the truth. "Heal" feels less like a single and more like a statement. HAYLA isn't reinventing herself. She's finally introducing herself. We heard her then. We're really hearing her now. And if you haven't tuned in yet — this is your sign. Final Verdict:  9/10

Article & Photos contributed by Rebecca McDevitt If you have never seen The Maine live, Friday night at Franklin Music Hall would have been the perfect introduction. The five-piece rock band out of Tempe, Arizona have been at this since 2007, eighteen years and ten studio albums deep, and they perform like a band that genuinely cannot believe they still get to do this. Their latest record, Joy Next Door, dropped just last week and they brought it straight to the road with the "I Love You But I Choose The Maine" tour. Philadelphia was one of the stops, and the city took that personally. The Maine performing at Franklin Music Hall on their I Love You But I Choose The Maine tour stop in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) Broadside, Nightly, and Grayscale opened the evening, with Grayscale turning their set into something of a homecoming -- the Philadelphia band had the crowd warmed up and already feeling it before The Maine ever touched the stage. By the time the headliners were ready, Franklin Music Hall was packed, loud, and impatient in the best possible way. We have seen The Maine live more times than we can count and yet they still found a way to make Friday night feel like something. From the first notes of "Thoughts I Have While Lying in Bed" the room was already singing not politely, but fully and it never really stopped. The Maine have always been a band that knows exactly what to do with a crowd, and Friday night was a masterclass in it. "Sticky" was an early standout, groove-forward and drum-driven in a way that felt almost hypnotic, a deliberate shift in texture that made the songs around it hit differently. The set moved through moods without ever losing momentum, and the crowd moved with it. The Maine performing at Franklin Music Hall on their I Love You But I Choose The Maine tour stop in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) The crowd had already made their intentions clear long before John O'Callaghan noticed a fan with "moshing and crowd surfing here" pulled up on their phone screen. When he spotted it and commented on it, Philadelphia took that as permission to turn things up even further. The crowd surfers were relentless for the rest of the night. The nostalgia hit hard when the band pulled out songs reaching all the way back to Can't Stop Won't Stop, and the crowd responded like they had been waiting for it all night. "We All Roll Along" was its own moment entirely -- the room was already screaming "8123 means everything to me" so loud it felt like the walls were singing it back, and then somehow John was in the balcony, mid-song, working his way through the crowd up there, handing a mic to a fan to sing part of the chorus. How he got up there remains one of Philadelphia's great unsolved mysteries. How any of us can hear today is another one. The set kept building from there. "Slip the Noose" had the pit fully committed despite being one of the more emotionally gutting songs of the night, which is very pop punk of everyone involved. The Maine performing at Franklin Music Hall on their I Love You But I Choose The Maine tour stop in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) By "Quiet Part Loud," one of the newer tracks from Joy Next Door, the room had fully given itself over to the evening, while John was on a couch like he was about to give Philadelphia its own therapy lesson. Before closing out the night, The Maine brought out Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line for a cover of "Best of Me" and the room absolutely lost it. For anyone who grew up on early 2000s pop punk, watching Vasoli on that stage was the kind of moment you text people about on the way home. "Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu" and "Another Night on Mars" sent everyone out into the Philadelphia night still singing, and we just know none of us are going to have voices for a while. The Maine performing at Franklin Music Hall on their I Love You But I Choose The Maine tour stop in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) The Maine have always known how to throw a show. Eighteen years in and they are still proving it, every single night. Philly chose them back, loud and without hesitation.

Going to a Lewis Capaldi show comes with one explicit warning: Expect to cry. Expect to laugh. And expect to try not to pee yourself, because apparently he was attempting the same after drinking enough fluid to keep a fading voice alive through a full arena set. Lewis Capaldi performing at Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) Philadelphia got Lewis Capaldi in full comeback mode. After stepping away from touring in 2023 to focus on his mental health and the demands of living with Tourette's syndrome, he returned to the stage this year with something to prove, and an arena full of people ready to receive it. The Liacouras Center at Temple University held every bit of that energy. He opened with "Survive," his first single in nearly two years and the one that announced his return last June. Co-written with RØMANS, the same collaborator behind "Someone You Loved", the song is a declaration of resilience rather than a victory lap. Standing in the pit for those opening moments, the weight of the room was immediate. Everyone in that arena knew what it cost him to be back on that stage, and "Survive" gave them the first place to put it. Light in the Darkness The set moved through the span of his catalog with real intention. Early songs like "Grace" and "Heavenly Kind of State of Mind" gave long-time fans their moment, the biblical imagery that has threaded through his writing from the very beginning landing with familiarity. "Almost," the quietly devastating Survive EP cut about the difficulty of moving on, held its own among heavier catalog entries. "Bruises," his 2017 debut single, felt like a reminder of how long this room has been rooting for him. Lewis Capaldi performing at Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) The production matched the emotional scale. Backdrop visuals throughout the night were immaculate, and during "Something in the Heavens," a curtain opened to reveal a single flower. In a set built around grief, survival, and the hope of reunion, it was a small moment of light offered in exactly the right place. He also paused the night to sign a fan's hat on stage, the kind of spontaneous gesture that confirmed what the crowd already sensed: this is someone who genuinely wants to be here. Four Billion Streams, One Room The emotional center of the set arrived at song eleven. "The Day That I Die," written during what Capaldi himself has described as the lowest point of his life, the period when he was not sure he would still be around, is a care package addressed to his mother, his father, his sister, his friends. Apologies for unanswered texts. Assurances that it is not a goodbye. The room went still in the way rooms only go still when something has reached everyone at once. Lewis Capaldi performing at Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) The final three songs carried the full weight of a career built on grief turned into melody. "Before You Go," written about the suicide of his aunt. "Hold Me While You Wait." And then "Someone You Loved." That song has over 4 billion streams on Spotify. It is the UK's most-streamed song of all time, and it spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Every single person in that building knew every word. With Lewis visibly fighting to keep his voice together, the crowd stepped in and carried it, filling Liacouras from floor to rafters. The full circle of that moment, given what happened at Glastonbury 2023 when the crowd did the same thing as he broke down on stage, was not lost on anyone. It was goosebumps in the best possible way. Lewis Capaldi performing at Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) A Lewis Capaldi show asks a lot of you emotionally, and it gives back even more. Philadelphia showed up for him completely, and he showed up for Philadelphia the same way. Go see him. Bring tissues. And maybe go easy on the pre-show drinks.

2026 Artist to Watch Album artwork for Dijon's Baby Article contributed by Monica Soriano In an industry where producers often remain behind the curtain, Dijon has managed to build a name that resonates both within the studio and beyond it. As a producer and songwriter, he has worked with major artists such as Justin Bieber, Charli XCX, and Matt Champion, contributing to projects that have shaped the contemporary pop and R&B landscape. Dijon and His Early Beginnings Today, Dijon is widely recognized for his musicality and creativity, but there was a time when he was simply Dijon Duenas. In his youth, Duenas moved frequently due to his parents’ time in the military. He credits his older cousins for first exposing him to music. Intrigued from an early age, Dijon began what would become a lifelong journey in sound. From Duo to Solo During his college years at the University of Maryland, Dijon formed a music duo with friend Abhirath Raju called Abhi//Dijon. While pursuing a degree in literature, something that would later support his songwriting craft, he balanced academics with music. In the four years they were active, Abhi//Dijon released two EPs and built a devoted following on SoundCloud. Although the duo eventually parted ways, the friendship remained intact. Abhi later contributed to Dijon’s most recent album. Dijon released his first solo single in 2017, and his trajectory has continued upward ever since. With two albums and two EPs under his name, Dijon has become a recognizable and respected presence in the music industry. Overflowing with Creativity Image of Dijon, sourced from facebook . An artist can be a singer. A producer. A songwriter. But what happens when the definition stretches beyond just one role? Dijon embodies all of it and more. He plays multiple instruments, writes and produces for both himself and other artists, lends background vocals to major projects, and even acts. His artistry extends beyond sound into vision. From genre blending and sonic experimentation to fully realized creative direction, every detail feels intentional and meaningful within his artistic world. Dijon’s Music Industry Contributions As a producer and songwriter, Dijon has contributed to notable tracks such as “Pink Diamond” by Charli XCX, multiple songs from Matt Champion’s album Mika’s Laundry , including “Slow Motion” featuring Jennie of BlackPink, and several songs from Justin Bieber’s albums SWAG  and SWAG II . Dijon’s own albums, Absolutely  and Baby , each offer a glimpse into his evolving artistic identity. Baby , his latest release, feels especially aligned with his growth both as a musician and as a person. The title itself was inspired by his experience entering fatherhood, adding another layer of intimacy to the project. Becoming Grammy Nominated Dijon was recently nominated at the 68th Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, as well as Album of the Year for his contributions to Justin Bieber’s SWAG . A Grammy nomination is an enormous honor on its own, but these specific categories carry significant weight. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical recognizes his individual impact on the industry, while Album of the Year remains one of the most prestigious distinctions in music. Beyond the Music As Dijon continues his upward momentum, he has several upcoming performances, including Coachella. The alternative and experimental R&B artist also made his on-screen debut in the film One Battle After Another , directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Beyond music, his life remains centered on creativity and growth. With his family serving as a steady source of inspiration, Dijon’s artistic evolution feels both grounded and expansive. Many good wishes to our Producer Highlight of the week. We look forward to seeing and hearing more from Dijon in the months and years ahead.