Artist Spotlight: Confessional Pop spirals, Celestial Alt-Pop, and Metalcore Anthems
By David Weddle
Exploring the raw talent and resonant stories of the independent music scene.
Exploring the raw talent and resonant stories of the independent music scene.
It is an exciting time for new music currently, and with our regular spotlight articles, we highlight a huge variety of artists from across every imaginable genre for you to discover. Today we shine the spotlight on three incredible independent forces who turn raw, lived experiences into gripping musical arrangements: Estella Dawn, Adam Paddock, and Approaching Autumn.
First up, we take a look at New Zealand-born, San Diego-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Estella Dawn. Having achieved an impressive 30 million streams to date, Estelle is back with her brilliant new single, 'Thanks for Asking.'
'Thanks for Asking' is a track that showcases Estella's willingness to dive headfirst into difficult subjects, in this case, grief and its many unexpected nuances. The track tackles something that not many are willing to talk about but many people find themselves dealing with, the humiliation of still deeply caring about someone who completely wrecked you emotionally and finding yourself defending them, obsessively checking your phone and even wearing the same clothes, all while pretending that everything is OK the outside world. Balancing the emotional precision of Gracie Abrams with the narrative wit of Taylor Swift and the unfiltered nerve of Olivia Rodrigo, it is a masterfully sharp pop confession.
Watch the Video: Check out the official video accompanying the release on YouTube.
'Thanks for Asking' is a track that showcases Estella's willingness to dive headfirst into difficult subjects, in this case, grief and its many unexpected nuances. The track tackles something that not many are willing to talk about but many people find themselves dealing with, the humiliation of still deeply caring about someone who completely wrecked you emotionally and finding yourself defending them, obsessively checking your phone and even wearing the same clothes, all while pretending that everything is OK the outside world. Balancing the emotional precision of Gracie Abrams with the narrative wit of Taylor Swift and the unfiltered nerve of Olivia Rodrigo, it is a masterfully sharp pop confession.
Watch the Video: Check out the official video accompanying the release on YouTube.
Heading over to Nashville, Tennessee, we find alt-pop artist Adam Paddock. Marrying unassuming, soaring vocals and familiar acoustic instrumentation with stunning horn arrangements, Adam builds community focused music where "people are the point."
Anyone who finds themselves dealing with loss of someone close will be sure to identify with the sentiment of his brand new record 'LATITUDES'. The song was born out of a midnight drive to Florida, and the sudden realisation that a close friend who was on the line during the exact same drive just a couple of years prior was no longer there to answer, Adam channelled that heavy shift in perspective into his songwriting. The track acts as a gorgeous, celestial search for common ground with an uncontactable loved one, asking the poignant question: "Which pocket of starlight looks enough like you to convince me that you’re still here?"
Check it out for yourself here.
Anyone who finds themselves dealing with loss of someone close will be sure to identify with the sentiment of his brand new record 'LATITUDES'. The song was born out of a midnight drive to Florida, and the sudden realisation that a close friend who was on the line during the exact same drive just a couple of years prior was no longer there to answer, Adam channelled that heavy shift in perspective into his songwriting. The track acts as a gorgeous, celestial search for common ground with an uncontactable loved one, asking the poignant question: "Which pocket of starlight looks enough like you to convince me that you’re still here?"
Check it out for yourself here.
We bring today's showcase to a close with what can only be described as an explosion of heavy sonic therapeutic release of energy courtesy of Flint, Michigan metalcore outfit Approaching Autumn and their track 'Breathe'.
The heavy as you like, evocative track is a visceral exploration of anxiety. It targets that suffocating feeling of living entirely inside your own head. Discussing finding yourself paralyzed to the point of not being able to leave your own house, complete daily tasks, or even get out of bed. But instead of leaving the listener in the dark, this track is a powerful anthem that looks at fighting through the fear and overcoming those mental barriers.
It is a track of empowerment and positivity and a reminder to take a step back, and remember that you are going to be ok. Powerful stuff.
Listen here
The heavy as you like, evocative track is a visceral exploration of anxiety. It targets that suffocating feeling of living entirely inside your own head. Discussing finding yourself paralyzed to the point of not being able to leave your own house, complete daily tasks, or even get out of bed. But instead of leaving the listener in the dark, this track is a powerful anthem that looks at fighting through the fear and overcoming those mental barriers.
It is a track of empowerment and positivity and a reminder to take a step back, and remember that you are going to be ok. Powerful stuff.
Listen here
Keep an eye out for more artist spotlights, and if you have any new music that you think deserves a shout-out, feel free to send it our way.