Kenzy Kyx has never been afraid to bare her soul, but with “I’m So Glad” she proves that empowerment can be just as powerful as vulnerability.
Where her earlier work leaned into more melancholy, this new single bursts with cheeky confidence. It’s a glitter coated reminder that joy can be the sweetest revenge.
Listen here:
From the first shimmering notes, “I’m So Glad” struts in like the soundtrack to your best post breakup night out. The production, which is helmed by Kyle Delfatti and Max Bunster at Wildwood Sound, sparkles with playful details. It has tight rhythms, buoyant melodies and flourishes that keep the song light on its feet. You can feel the late night studio energy baked into every bar, a mix of laughter, creativity and a shared obsession with pop done right.
At the center of it all is Kenzy’s voice. Sultry yet soaring, carrying both the relief and the sass of the lyrics. There’s a interesting blend of influences here. Sabrina Carpenter’s wink, Gwen Stefani’s bite, and just a hint of Stevie Nicks’s timeless edge. But Kenzy is completely unique with her vocals. She is in control, playful and unafraid to poke fun at a chapter that once felt heavy.
What makes the track stick, though, is its universality.
“I’m So Glad” captures that euphoric moment when the weight finally lifts and you realize you’re free. It’s not about heartbreak – it’s about release. And in a pop landscape that sometimes takes itself too seriously, Kenzy’s tongue in cheek liberation song feels like a breath of fresh air.
With cover art shot by Athena Khalifeh, the single looks like freedom too. Together, the visuals and the music form a bold statement. Kenzy Kyx isn’t just moving forward, she’s dancing forward and is inviting the rest of us to join her.
With its bittersweet lyricism and warm Americana tone, George Collins’s “By the Time” has already earned praise as one of his most evocative tracks to date.
Now, the newly released music video gives the song a cinematic heartbeat, placing Collins in a dimly lit Prague steakhouse as he strums, sings and pens a final farewell letter to a soon-to-be ex.
Directed by Thomas Cruz and Jarda Malina, and featuring a cameo by Max Munson – the real-life owner of Max’s Steakhouse – this video is full of intimate details. From the half-finished whiskey glass to the knowing glances of a friendly bartender.
Look closer, and you’ll even spot a Dave Matthews Band poster tucked into the scenery, a nod to one of Collins’s lifelong inspirations, and hear his previous single Open Up drifting faintly in the background.
In this conversation, Collins opens up about the song’s origins, the creative choices behind the video and why capturing its acoustic, roots-driven soul on screen was just as important as getting every chord change right.
Watch the Official Music Video here:
Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
I came up with the riff while I was noodling around on my acoustic guitar many years ago, and it immediately struck me as extremely catchy.
The opening line, “By the time you’ll be getting ’round to reading this,” popped into my head at the same time, as those lyrics seemed to fit the riff very well in rhythmic terms.
I filed it away for a long time and started writing the song in earnest last year.
The chord changes are quite interesting, full of unresolved tension by deliberately moving outside the key and employing lots of seventh chords, to match the troubled tone of the lyrics.
From the outset, I was hearing the influence of Tom Petty on this tune, and when I started working with my producer to bring the song to life in the studio, I specifically suggested we aim for a similar Americana vibe as Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers,” which was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, who is an absolute genius and one of my favorite producers.
As we developed the track, the influence of other great songwriters such as Chris Stapleton, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Ray Davies (one of the finest storytellers in all of music) and Jimmy Buffett (ditto) also became apparent.
Although I have written almost all my songs on my acoustic guitar, this is the first fully produced acoustic track that I have released. In the past, we took my acoustic demos and fleshed them out with a band in the studio, and I have recorded stripped-down acoustic versions of my previous singles, but this is the first time I deliberately kept the track close to its acoustic roots, to better capture the Americana/Outlaw Country vibe of the song. So you’ll hear many influences in this song, but I also hope that “By the Time” is recognizably me.
What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
In my mind’s eye I imagined a scene like that of the cover art for Led Zeppelin’s last studio album, “In Through the Out Door,” in which a man is sitting on a stool in a dingy dive bar burning a “Dear John” letter.
With the phrase “By the time you’ll be getting ’round to reading this” in my head, I realized that the narrator of my song would not be reading or burning a “Dear John” letter, but rather writing one to his soon-to-be-Ex.
In a bar, of course.Once I imagined the scenario, the lyrics flowed quite naturally — fortunately, and unlike most of my other songs, this one has no autobiographical connotations whatsoever!
What was the process of making the video?
One of my closest friends in Prague, Max Munson, owns Max’s Steakhouse, a classic steakhouse modeled on those from his native Chicago.
He runs a lot of great ads for his establishment, which are created in conjunction with Thomas Cruz of Thomas Cruz Studio and Jarda Malina of Moneyshot Studio in Prague.
Once I decided that I wanted a live music video for “By the Time” (rather than the animated lyric videos for my other tracks to date), and that I wanted it to be shot in a bar, I knew that Max’s Steakhouse would be the perfect location, and that Thomas and Jarda, with their previous experience of filming in the Steakhouse, would be perfect for creating this video.
I met with Thomas several times to discuss the song and exchange ideas for the video, and I invited Max to make a cameo appearance as the friendly bartender. We agreed early on that there would be two major features of the video: Me singing the song with my guitar, and me writing the letter at the bar.
I arrived early at the Steakhouse early on a Saturday morning, when the restaurant was closed. Thomas and Jarda were already setting up lights in the main dining room, and I helped move tables and chairs away to clear a space for my solo performance. I’d brought several of my guitars and a variety of shirts, which Thomas tested under the lights before choosing a creamy color that would match the warm hues of the room.
With Jarda handling the lights, I sat on a barstool and sang “By the Time” over and over as Thomas filmed me from a variety of angles – I probably played the song fifty times before Thomas was satisfied that he had enough to work with.
Then we moved into the barroom. Max and I chose a bottle of Elijah Craig as a prop – I actually drank apple juice during the filming, though Max did have to pour several glasses of whiskey so we could show the bottle getting progressively emptier. I enjoyed those glasses, however, only after the filming was completed.
I had written several versions of the lyrics on parchment, each showing the “letter” in various stages of completion. Again, with Jarda manning the lights, Thomas filmed me from numerous angles as I sat and sipped and wrote and pondered: Close-ups of my hand moving across the page, close-ups of me stroking my chin and staring off into space, long shots of Max carrying a rack of glasses from the kitchen to the bar before offering me a refill of my bourbon.
Overall, we must have filmed for eight hours for what was eventually edited into a video that clocks in under four minutes.
In the editing process, Thomas had the brilliant idea to have my previous single, “Open Up,” playing in the background as I’m sitting at the bar. That song, about remaining vulnerable and open to love in spite of disappointments, is the perfect setup for “By the Time,” which is ultimately about liberation and moving hopefully into the future.
I am grateful to Thomas, Jarda and Max for capturing this vibe and helping me bring my song to life so beautifully.
Fresh off a string of high-profile shows and the release of their emotionally charged single “Threshold”, Portland, Maine’s Moments Of are proving they’re not just riding the emo revival wave. They are helping shape it.
With a sound that bridges early 2000’s emo and the grit of modern alternative rock, the band has quickly built a reputation for delivering high energy performances that stick with you.
In this exclusive interview, the band opens up about the creative process behind their “Threshold” Official Music Video – why they chose a performance driven concept over a narrative, how nostalgia for the late ’90s and early 2000’s shaped its aesthetic, and what it was like shooting under the intense glow (and heat) of vintage stage lighting:
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
We really thought long and hard about the direction we wanted to take as a band for the Threshold music video. The talk of building a narrative story behind the video was had but we really thought that due to the energy of the song and our timeline to get it done by that a high energy performance video would be best for Threshold. We also wanted to bring high quality, and a high energy performance video back to the scene as a cornerstone for our new music and sound. And when people see us live, we bring that same energy, so we wanted people anywhere in the world to be able to get a sense of that from Threshold.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
For us a lot of the inspiration comes from the late 90’s early 2000’s videos not just music videos but entertainment and tv in general. The warm feeling and soft focus bring in those themes that you’d see on tv back then and also plays on many techniques how soap operas were shot. Giving off that heaven like feeling. The set being well lit and showing the gear, flight cases, rigging around gives it that feeling of watching a band at a theater or opera house where you would see rigging, cases, amps in the background.
3. What was the process of making the video?
The making of Threshold was done in a soundstage environment where we had full control of the space. The decision was made to use older tungsten film and stage lights to really play into the theme we wanted and to be immersed in the set. Warm, cozy, heavenly, euphoric even and the focus would just be the band well-lit and slamming hard. We shot the video setup to takedown in about 5-6 hours. Of course, we did many takes of the video individually and full band during that window to get the shots we needed. It was challenging at times dealing with old school stage and film lights as they admit a crazy amount of heat, so staying hydrated was key and avoiding knocking over or brushing up against lights and stands because everything was hot enough to cook food on. But we think it was the right move once we saw the finished video! Threshold is a raw and basic take on a well-lit and shot performance music video that will be timeless and invoke feelings from a simpler era in music.
After a string of visually striking and concept driven singles, Reeya Banerjee brings things home both literally and figuratively with the music video for “Upstate Rust,” the fourth and final release ahead of her upcoming album This Place set for release on August 22nd, 2025.
Filmed at Lorien Sound in Brooklyn, the video captures Banerjee and her band The Merseyside Darby in their natural habitat – laughing, sweating and absolutely living inside the music.
Unlike the stylized visuals of her previous singles, this video opts for raw honesty and full band energy, spotlighting the chemistry, connection and joy that fuel Banerjee’s live performances.
It’s a fitting choice for a track that closes the album with heart and clarity.
We sat down with Reeya to talk about the story behind the song, and the decision to film a stripped down performance.
1. Tell us the story of this song – why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
Upstate Rust is the closing track on my album This Place, and in many ways, it’s the emotional resolution.
It’s a song about leaving a place you’ve loved – not with regret, but with trust, love and a little bit of fear. It’s about grown-up decisions, emotional survival and believing that what you’ve built can last, even when the geography changes.
The three singles before this had quirky, stylized videos – animation, photo essays, rogue guerrilla no-permit filming in Grand Central.
With Upstate Rust, I wanted to do something totally different. I wanted to showcase my band, The Merseyside Darby, because this song feels like a full-band anthem. Even though they didn’t record it with me originally, they’ve learned it, owned it, and made it their own.
This video is a celebration of that live energy – of how much fun we have together in the room. It’s the first time we’re all on screen together, and it felt like the right way to bring this song to life.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The inspiration was really simple: let’s just show the band being the band. Upstate Rust is a big, reverb-heavy, U2-flavored banger, and it’s also my favorite song on the record. We wanted to show what it actually feels like to play it together – no gimmicks, no heavy storyline, just real joy and connection.
We shot the video at Lorien Sound in Brooklyn, which is a studio run by my lead guitarist James Rubino and his business partners Austin Birdy and Jack Quigley. Our rehearsal space is the live room at the studio, and Jack also directed the video. We pumped the master track through the PA and performed it together thirteen times – close-ups of everyone, wide shots of the room, no lip-sync fakery, just full-out playing.
Jack’s footage captured our chemistry and the joy we feel making music together. Luke Folger, our drummer (also my creative partner, co-writer, and the producer and composer for the record) is a beast on drums and has a smile that could light up a room. He’s a full-on beam of sunshine.
There’s a moment where I’m singing along with Daria Klotz, my bass player, and we’re just in the moment together. I’ve known her for ten years – we’ve sung in harmony together in so many bar bands and performances and other contexts, and it was lovely to capture that shared history on camera.
Sam Levine is our rhythm guitarist and the newest member of the band. He’s incredibly talented and smart, and a bit shy – but by the end of the shoot, he was rocking out and singing along, and it was just so endearing to watch him come into his own.
My favorite part is in the final chorus where James and I are literally jumping up and down together. We’ve also known each other for ten years – he’s my ride-or-die best friend. It felt like having a dance party with my little brother. Neither of us are spring chickens – we both have bad knees – so it was probably a terrible idea, but we couldn’t resist. At one point, James’s hat flew off mid-jump and he kicked it toward Sam, who had to duck to avoid being beaned in the face. We could not stop laughing. I’m almost sad that moment didn’t make the final cut.
3. What was the process of making the video?
This was honestly one of the most fun and relaxed shoots I’ve ever done. We met at Lorien Sound, and Jack set up a click track for Luke so we could stay locked in with the master. Then we ran the song thirteen times – two close-up takes for each band member, and three full-room passes to capture the in-between moments and the group dynamic.
The goal wasn’t perfection – it was connection. We weren’t trying to make a slick, overly produced performance video – but that said, what Jack delivered is the most polished of the four videos I’ve made to support the singles from This Place.
We wanted to show what it actually feels like to rehearse this song: sweaty, joyful, slightly chaotic, and deeply connected.
There’s a moment in “Manchild”,Gun-Shy Butterfly’s scathing new single, when the sarcasm curdles into something darker.
It’s the sound of the last straw breaking, the laugh you let out after being underestimated one too many times. It’s also the moment you realize this song is a reckoning of sorts.
Philadelphia based duo Julie Exter and Andrea Tarka White take no prisoners on this fuzzed-out, fire breathing alt-rock track that drips with wit, indignation and undeniable hooks.
What starts as a pointed eye-roll becomes a full on evisceration of entitled mediocrity, all set to a soundtrack that echoes the raw honesty of Hole and the punch of L7, with a melodic sensibility entirely their own.
But “Manchild” doesn’t just about calling out bad behavior—it’s about the emotional labor women are expected to do in response to it. The song’s brilliance lies in its refusal to smooth over that exhaustion. Instead, it puts it front and center, lets it roar and dares you to look away.
The lyrics are needle sharp here and they balance bitterness with clarity – there’s no vagueness and no metaphor to soften the blow. Just bold, clear language that hits like truth tends to – suddenly and without apology.
Production wise, it’s lean and loud. Every instrument has room to breathe, but it never lets up in intensity. The guitar tones snarl, the bass stalks just beneath the surface and Exter’s vocals command every inch of the mix.
“Manchild” then is a torch song for the pissed off and perpetually talked over. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful thing that you can do is tell the truth and crank the volume up while you do it.
About Gun-Shy Butterfly
Gun-Shy Butterfly is the Philadelphia based alt-rock duo of Julie Exter and Andrea Tarka White.
With a minimalist setup and a maximalist sound, the pair craft raw and riff-heavy anthems fueled by feminist fire and unfiltered emotion. Blending the grit of ’90s grunge with sharp lyrical wit, Gun-Shy Butterfly tackles everything from cultural exhaustion to personal reclamation. Always loud, always honest.
Their debut singles “Dark Side” and “Manchild” announce the arrival of a band unafraid to rage, reflect, and rip the volume right off.
“Comeback Morning” doesn’t beg for your attention. It doesn’t try to dazzle with clever production tricks or polished perfection. It feels more like that quiet, electric moment of survival.
MASSEY is not your typical frontman. He is more of a conjurer, someone who pulls whole arrangements out of thin air with nothing but his voice.
Listen here:
And the stellar line up of musicians on this one is no joke. Charlie Wooton’s bassline has weight, Oravetz and Groover on guitar keep it lean and expressive, and Doug Belote’s drums give the whole track its steady heartbeat. Then there is Lemmler’s Hammond organ – warm, wide and grounding and the 504 Horns who elevate it even further.
But more than any single performance, what sticks is the overall vibe.
“Comeback Morning” very much sounds like it was built on real trust between players, and on MASSEY’s belief in second chances. That message that “The comeback is always sweeter,” a phrase borrowed from his father, is the kind of line you believe because you can hear that MASSEY does.
It’s a big hearted, soul driven reminder that even after the darkest nights, the light still shows up and sometimes its in a song.
About MASSEY
MASSEY showed up like a spark — fully formed, voice first — when producer JoeBaby Michaels caught wind of something wild, soulful and unmistakably original.
At the center of it all is MASSEY who sings, hums, whistles and scats every idea into being. Think James Brown if he built the bones of the song from the air.
There’s something visceral about the way MASSEY approaches music. Songs begin as voice memos — grooves and hooks born of walks, dreams, gut feelings — and get fleshed out by a tight circle of trusted collaborators, especially his guitarist and writing partner Peter Oravetz. The result is music that feels lived in but alive, rooted in New Orleans funk and soul, laced with rock grit and retro R&B swing.
In just a handful of releases, MASSEY has already made noise. His first few singles have racked up over 600,000 views collectively, with each new track carving out more of his singular identity.
With his debut album Reason For Being dropping soon and a slate of live performances kicking off with NOLA JazzFest, MASSEY is stepping fully into the spotlight.
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