Japan-born, Canada-raised artist Justin Maki follows up his recent single “Technicolor Dreams” with “Nine Lives,” an effervescent pop-funk anthem rooted in love, loyalty, and the immortal pull of connection. The FCLMA–winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer delivers his most romantic statement yet – a bright, syncopated celebration of devotion that feels timeless and cinematic.
“The statement comes across as a striking romantic hypothetical,” Maki explains. “If I had the opportunity to live more than one life or to live a much longer life – I would choose you over and over again, day in and day out, despite the other options, despite my instinctual desire for variety, because I just love you that much.”
The phrase “Nine Lives” evokes the mythic resilience of cats – creatures said to survive anything. But for Maki, it becomes a metaphor for eternal love: “It’s the ultimate 2025 Breakfast Club boombox moment.”
Stream + share “Nine Lives” now: https://found.ee/justinmaki-ninelivesWatch + share the official music video, as well: https://youtu.be/FHvlJZqPGmE
Maki co-wrote “Nine Lives” with Drew Shalka (Mute Choir) during a snowstorm-stranded session in Nashville – the same partnership that produced his previous hit, “Technicolor Dreams.” “It was one of the most productive writing sessions I’ve ever taken part in,” says Maki. “We wrote the entire song – lyrics, melody, arrangement, and demo – in the span of about six hours, then capped the day with his partner’s homemade tuna casserole. With 100 songs written for this project and eight selected for the record, it’s truly a statistical miracle that two of the eight were co-written with Drew.”
Working once again with VAŪLTS – the JUNO–winning production duo of David Mohacsi and Maïa Davies – Maki reshaped the song’s early melancholy into a radiant anthem about love’s endurance. “You wouldn’t know it, but this song was originally about unrequited love,” he recalls. “It started off as a documenting of a failed relationship that could and would never rekindle. I wrote: if I had nine lives, I’d try almost anything… but nine lives ain’t gonna make you love me. When David and Maïa suggested a revamping of the message and the lyrics, I originally resisted, but I’m so glad that I trusted them and the process.”
the new single and animated visual for Star2’s “Purpose” featuring Lian2x and LerMuDex – three Thai artists coming together on a powerful communal anthem about discovering your purpose and keeping the faith through times of hardship and pain.
“Purpose” is a sonically rich melodic rap record that’s vulnerable, introspective, and instantly relatable. Star2’s emotive, melodic vocals weave perfectly with Lian2x’s grounded, gritty tone and LerMuDex’s raw passion, creating something that feels both honest and redemptive. The moody, atmospheric production features warm 808s, emotional guitar layers, and a reflective beat that gives the lyrics all the space they need to hit. The animated video, directed by Josh the Artist, captures the grind and the cost: the three artists on planes, tour vans, and red carpets, contrasted with quiet moments of Star2 alone on the beach, wrestling with isolation and the sacrifices required to chase purpose.
Star2’s story begins in tragedy and rises through music. As a young boy in a Thai refugee camp, he fled when the Burmese Army attacked and burned his village at night. Music offered escape and meaning. He’s collaborated with the likes of Soulja Boy, $tupid Young, and Mozzy, and has millions of streams and views to date.
Four-time GRAMMY® winner and the consensus Queen of Contemporary Gospel, Yolanda Adams, has blessed the holiday season with a Christmas re-release of her standout record, “Hero Is Born.” The critically-acclaimed gospel song is found on Ms. Adams’s 2024 studio album, Sunny Days, which has garnered GRAMMY® recognition as a nominee for ‘Best Gospel Album’ at the upcoming 68th GRAMMY® Awards.
The re-release comes just ahead of Adams’s Broadway debut; the gospel legend will play a prominent role in Hell’s Kitchen, the theater production based on R&B legend Alicia Keys’s life.
Los Angeles-based artist SHOOP releases his debut EP never better, a vibrant and vulnerable collision of alt-pop, rock, R&B, and razor-sharp songwriting that cements the boundary-pushing multi-hyphenate as one of alt-pop’s most compelling new voices. The 6-track project—out now via Epic Records—arrives on the heels of an exhilarating run of singles including “CAPRIS,” “honey,” “YOUR PLACE,” and the explosive “blessing in disguise!” that spotlight SHOOP’s kinetic, genre-splintering vision.
Emerging British pop songstress Eva Gadd unveils her beautiful new single, ‘I Just Flew To The Moon’ – a tender, stripped-back track that lets her enchanting vocals take centre stage. Carried by soft piano and delicate acoustic guitar, the song has a tranquil, weightless quality, as though you’re floating through space alongside her.
London-based alt-pop artist and producer Emma Elizabeth unveils her new single ‘Overwhelmed’, a deeply personal and heartfelt track born from her journey towards understanding and embracing her autism diagnosis. Story-like, intimate, and emotionally raw, ‘Overwhelmed’ explores the process of accepting yourself fully and finding peace in that acceptance.
‘Overwhelmed’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.
Jorge Wilson is an indie pop artist from Stoke-on-Trent, UK, who writes with a disarming honesty that reflects the straightforward character of his roots. With a sound he describes as “modern vintage”, Wilson blends nostalgic textures with forward-thinking production, delivering a sound which fuses the charm of the past with the edge of today. Drawing inspiration from artists like Mac DeMarco, Steve Lacy, and The 1975, his music is an honest reflection of who he is and who he’s becoming.
After years of playing in a band where he felt unable to fully express himself, Wilson took a leap of faith and launched his solo project in late 2023. Writing, performing, and producing much of his own material, he’s found freedom in self-reliance, guided by a personal mantra: “Listen to nobody.” That independence shines through his new single “Gemini”, an infectious, groove-led track that captures the thrill of letting someone see your true self.
Written after an impromptu moment of inspiration with a friend’s guitar, “Gemini” channels Wilson’s love of both ‘80s icons like Men At Work and Michael Jackson (whose “Beat It” inspired the song’s guitar solo) and contemporary innovators such as Steve Lacy, Alfie Templeman, and Tame Impala. The track, recorded with producer Steven Griffiths (The Editors, Mothica) at Dead Door Studios, explores the idea of duality — the side of someone you only discover once you’re close enough to see beneath the surface.
GRAMMY-Award winning hitmaker Meghan Trainor has unveiled a new holiday anthem, “Gifts For Me.” The track serves as an upbeat reminder to treat yourself this holiday season.
Santa Cruz, CA-based five-piece electronic/instrumental outfit STS9 share their self-produced, lush thirteenth record Human Dream out now via 1320 Records/Symphonic with fan favorite instrumental ballad “Presence of Light.” The dynamic, boundless body of work is a culmination of the band’s 28 years together, forged from human connection and intricately ponders the possibility of transcendence through beauty and art.
STS9 will celebrate live in Los Angeles tonight and tomorrow to kick off their U.S. tour through winter 2025 and spring 2026 with several dates in Chicago, across Colorado, the east coast and more. See all dates below and find more information here.
Recorded entirely in their own studio for the first time ever, the 19 track album explores the human condition and humanity’s place within the cosmos through cinematic, dreamy production and genre-blurring sounds of funk, jazz, drum and bass and more. “The Human Dream signifies an awakening of perception from the limitations of the physical world to the infinite power of human imagination, where art and music are not just forms of expression, but pathways to the deeper truths that lie beyond the surface of our everyday lives.”
“The universe reveals itself not in grand declarations but in subtle shifts, a shadow moving across a wall, the soft gradient of dusk surrendering to night. Human Dream asks us to notice and be present with the mysteries that surround us. It is the quiet realization that we are both small and infinite, bound by gravity and yet reaching, always, toward the light.” The album offers refuge and the space to imagine a brighter, safer world.
Berlin via Milwaukee indie pop/folk singer-songwriter Queen Quail shares her resonant debut EP, Narcissus, out now. Through six stirring tracks, the musician explores the nuances of longing, identity, philosophy and the search of home over sweeping production and emotive vocals.
Alongside the full EP is “Grace,” a gentle, self-compassionate track. Queen Quail shares, “I wrote Grace while sitting with some regret about choices I made in my twenties, almost mourning lost time. It’s also a moment of recognition of my own agency.”
Lou Emery, a one-to-watch artist in the alt pop space, has just released her latest single, “House of Cards.” The stunning, rock-forward track combines synth-pop instrumentation, dramatic vocals, and frenzied electric guitar licks, creating a multi-faceted sonic experience that anyone can tune into. “House of Cards” is now available to stream worldwide.
Flowing with tense lyrics, building instrumentals, and vibrant basslines, “House of Cards” describes a complex but equally toxic entanglement dynamic. In creating “House of Cards,” Emery focuses on instability, both from a sonic and lyrical perspective. Relationally, the track describes a relationship heading toward the brink, with Emery scathingly commenting on a relationship that she’s been “tossing aces away” in the meantime. The double entendre hints at her continued frustration, alluding to both potential new partners she could move on with and the “aces” she can play to overcome her own battles. A breezy guitar punctuates her potent words as she asks, “Who needs love when you’re around?” Pop-rock rhythms glide across the recording, punctuating her near-desperate refrain with elevated sonic depth. She and songwriter Sean William Merlin composed the piece, accidentally introducing an unorthodox time signature. “It’s almost poetic how the jerky rhythm matches the instability of the toxic relationship described in the song,” Emery explains. “The chorus can fall apart just as easily as that house of cards. It’s like both sonically and lyrically, we’re standing on this precipice.” Alexander Arnout, who has produced tracks with more than 10 million streams on platforms such as Spotify, joins Emery once more on this recording, adding bass, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar touches. The result is a complex song from both a lyrical and technical perspective, featuring dynamic production and effervescent polish.
Just weeks after the release of his mixtape LOVERCORE, BRIT Award–nominated alt-grunge singer/songwriter Artemas returns with a new single, “you and i could never be friends.” The track marks his first new music since surpassing 3.5 billion global streams and celebrating fresh RIAA milestones, underscoring a major moment in his career. Listen to “you and i could never be friends” HERE.
The release follows a standout week for Artemas, who just stopped by BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge for a dynamic session featuring performances of his hit tracks “if u think i’m pretty” and “southbound,” plus an arresting cover of Mitski’s “Washing Machine Heart.”
“you and i could never be friends” arrives just weeks after Artemas’ latest mixtape LOVERCORE, which was led by electrifying singles “southbound” and “superstar” quickly boosting the project to already over 110 million total streams. Watch the official “superstar” music video HERE.
HypnoVizion, the visionary label imprint from Canadian producer and DJ Rezz, today releases its first-ever compilation, Auditory Illusion Vol. 1. The 11-track collection presents a bold statement from the label, showcasing industrial, experimental bass, and midtempo artists from across North America and Europe. Uniting ten rising acts alongside a reimagined version of Rezz’s own ‘Selector’, the compilation embodies HypnoVizion’s distinct creative identity—dark, immersive, and unbound by convention.
An absorbent journey through Rezz’s otherworldly curation, Auditory Illusion spirals through a flux of hypnotic melodies and off-kilter rhythms. CABLE, who previously appeared on ‘Glass Veins’, returns with an electrifying solo cut ‘Midnight Animal’, while female producer VVN delivers a striking vocal performance on ‘To Bleed Without Color’ that threads beauty through distortion. Dystopian duo Blood Vision channel wobbling tension on ‘Arachnophobia’, and Central New York’s Bardea channels industrial grit into high-octane form on ‘METALHEAD’. Conceptual musicmaker SHSTR explores textures with ‘Floating Sky’, Warsaw-based act Voidnet dives into shadowy bass on ‘No Lights Ahead’, and French up-and-comer Rubi balances melody and menace with ‘No Exit’. Rounding out the project are enigmatic artist VAKRM’s distinctive ‘Stormbound’, Denver-based DJ MLOTIK’s eruptive ‘DISRUPT’, and emerging Danish producer Voliik’s boundary-testing ‘Careless’.
For a band that’s spent the last several decades as the soundtrack to punk’s most iconic moments, The Bouncing Souls return more tapped into their community than ever with “Home for the Holidays,” their new song out November 21. The song arrives just a couple weeks before the NJ heroes head out for the final leg of their co-headlining tour with H2O.
Inspired by the holiday shows that the band hosted from 2007-2016 at historic Asbury Park venue, The Stone Pony, “Home for the Holidays” is a sort of anti-holiday song for all the misfits, weirdos, and anyone seeking their chosen family around this time of year. It leans head-first into the band’s signature melody and heart-on-sleeve melodic punk.
Every year, for a few days after Christmas, The Bouncing Souls threw their own holiday party––”for us, the Freaks, the nerds, and the romantics,” vocalist Greg Attonito explains of the show’s intention. “It became a time and place where a lot of people found a kind of acceptance that they might not have had anywhere else in their lives.”
Last year, The Stone Pony celebrated its 50th anniversary and invited the Souls to play the 10th-ever Home for the Holidays as a part of their celebration. “On the last day of the last show, we caught inspiration and the idea for this song was born. Many bonds and deep feelings were made and felt during that time, so hopefully for all of us who were there, we got it right.”
Miami-based duo Black V Neck and live techno-house act SHADED have teamed up for a brand new single ‘Salmon’ featuring Andra G. out now as part of Dirtybird’sFlight Week series.
Rippling with wavy synthwork and rhythmic undercurrents, ‘Salmon’ flows with buoyant energy and precise, rolling percussion that keeps the dance floor hooked. The fourth Flight Week release is tenacious yet methodical, showcasing the depth of creative drive that bubbled from the writing camp. An instant head-turner, ‘Salmon’ carries the timbre and spirit of a Dirtybird hit – kinetic, off-kilter and finessed for the dancefloor – while cementing Black V Neck and SHADED in the next generation of label players.
Miami natives Black V Neck (Ian & Julian) are a prime example of a Dirtybird’s dedication to growing its flock. The duo first appeared on Birdfeed in 2018 with ‘Stop ‘N Go’, being promoted to the main label in 2019 with their Mouth Music EP. Black V Neck have remained consistent faces with their 2020 follow up Bounce EP and an appearance on the 2021 Campout Compilation. This year, the duo helped launch the label’s anniversary celebrations with ‘Check My Brain’ and joined the label at Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights and CampINN. ‘Salmon’ serves as Black V Neck’s second Flight Week release, following ‘Drip Drop (Handle That)’ with Life On Planets.
Singer, songwriter, and producer Absolutely announces her highly anticipated new album Paracosm, arriving in 2026, via Epic Records. Alongside the news, today she shares the album’s striking new single “No Audience” — a dark, cinematic meditation on the tension between creativity and visibility. Listen to “No Audience” HERE, and pre-order/pre-save Paracosm HERE. “No Audience” lyric video is HERE.
Empara Mi is continuing her anthropic music video series, The Haunting Of Empara Mi, with her track ‘Mercy’, directed by Cal McIntyre (lead creative for The Last Dinner Party).
In October Empara Mi stepped into the finale of her album, ‘Monsters & Masochists’, a body of work that is more than just an album, it is carefully carved chapters of a much deeper narrative – a journey through a path of sadness, anger, self-destruction, acceptance and everything in between. The visionary artist sees music not just as sound, but as an all-encompassing sensory experience. And her new conceptual album is exactly that. Shifting effortlessly between styles, from soul-stirring ballads to electrifyingly raw compositions, she exhibits her musical and narrative voice as one of the most unique of her generation.
This video is no different. Following on from its counterpart, ‘Hurt Like Me’, the visuals take place in a desolate house, following a story centred around a possession. In the video, a demonic figure embodying Mother Mercy finds her at her weakest and pulls her through a violent evolution. Her possession is a blessing, not a curse, she turns her into the monster this world has forged, and the woman powerful enough to take the place she was always meant to hold. Empara Mi sings “blood under my fingernails, I climbed your ladder, it led me to hell, I served your wine while you feed, I laid the table, now I want a seat.”
Vancouver indie folk-rock group Myles from Home return with their moving new single “You’re Gonna Go Far,” out now on all digital streaming platforms. Rooted in memory, gratitude, and the electric rush of childhood possibility, the emotionally charged track marks the band’s third release of the year, following September’s reflective single “I Remember” and February’s groove-driven “Almost Everything”.
Anchored by frontman Myles Hildebrand’s warm vocals and the band’s signature fusion of folk-rock, funk, and jazz-tinged textures, “You’re Gonna Go Far” shines as one of their most personal songs to date. Both intimate and expansive, the track swells with nostalgic warmth while pulsing with the trio’s trademark rhythmic inventiveness.
“This song is about my Dad, and a moment from my childhood that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” says Hildebrand. “It’s about feeling like you have the world at your feet. This moment kept coming back up, and since my Dad is my number one fan, I felt very inspired to turn the memory of that moment into a song. Every time we play it live, I’m emotional and the crowd is too.”
After amassing over 4 billion streams, international DJ/producer duo Loud Luxury (composed of Andrew Fedyk and Joe De Pace) return with one more single to close out the year, “Love You For Life” featuring Emily Roberts out now via Casablanca Records. Listen HERE.
The single arrives after the the Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based international touring dance music duo surprised fans with the official remix of Taylor Swift’s current single “The Fate of Ophelia.” With over 4 million streams in just the first week, the remix was instantly #1 on iTunes and highlights Loud Luxury’s ability to transform major hits into energy-fueled beat-heavy bangers. Listen to the remix HERE.
After a hugely successful year, releasing a slew of singles including the recent “UH OH!” feat. Natalie Jane and traveling the world to play live shows on stages like EDC, Marquee Skydeck at The Edge, and across the Vegas Strip with their continued residency with TAO, Loud Luxury show no signs of slowing down as they gear up for an even bigger 2026.
They’re in the midst of their tour that will wrap up the year in Denver and Hollywood, FL before heading across seas hitting cities like Bangkok, Sydney and Mexico City through February. See below for full tour routing and buy tickets for their live shows HERE.
South East London’s BLONDETING is back with ‘SHE DON’T CARE’ – a shot of pure DnB adrenaline that wears its confidence loud. With bright, bold production, lyrics that hit straight to the chest, and BLONDETING’s unmistakable vocal bite running through it, the track bottles that carefree feeling she’s singing about.
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
- Socials: @frazer.live
- @neill.outloud
