“Love Sonnet for Mikey” is over almost as soon as it starts, and yet it doesn’t feel slight. If anything, the short runtime sharpens its impact. It arrives, says what is needs to say and then departs.
The song is built around a poem written in 2019 after the death of the author’s brother, Mikey. Instead of rewriting the text to fit a standard song structure, j dylan paul lets the poem take the lead here. The lyrics stay exactly as they are, and that decision gives the songa gravity that is totally natural. One line “to help the grass grow arms to cradle you” is echoed briefly like a thought circling back on itself.
“Love Sonnet for Mikey” lives in a quiet corner of indie and electronic music. Synths hang in the background, guitar slips in without calling extra attention to itself and the drums move steadily underneath.
Its the vocals though where the song really takes shape. Paul has spent years releasing instrumental music, and working behind the scenes as a mixing engineer, and it’s this track that really marks one of their first steps forward as a singer. The voice works because it’s not forced or overly produced. It sounds like someone choosing to sing because the song requires it.
The final recording replaces the demo’s programmed elements with live performances – drums by Tim Stefaniak and recorded at New Alliance in Somerville, MA, with guitar by Sherman Tsui. Those choices give “Love Sonnet for Mikey” a physical presence that keeps it grounded, even as the song itself feels almost fragile.
Where this song started out as a personal gesture, it ends up becoming a complete turning point. Short, careful and quietly affecting, it leaves the listener with the sense that whatever comes next is going to matter more because this exists.
“Tossed Away”, the latest release from Matt Alter, is quiet, steady and yet painfully relatable. The song is about that moment when you realize that someone has been taking from you without giving back, and finally being able to put that feeling into words.
The music matches the honesty. Both the guitar and instrumentation do not attempt to steal the spotlight but rather allow Matt’s lyrics to really shine:
What really sticks is the writing. The lyrics aren’t complicated, but they are real. You can sense the frustration, the disappointment, the clarity that comes after.
“I was just your stepping stone.
You used me. Tossed away.”
In these striking lyrics you can feel the frustration, the disappointment, and the clarity that comes afterwards. It’s the kind of song that makes you nod and say, “Yeah… I’ve been there.”
Part of what makes “Tossed Away” work so well is the way it was created. Released as part of a single by single rollout, each track got its own space to grow. And you can hear this in the way it is deliberate, punchy, thoughtful but also unafraid to leave some thing unsaid.
About Matt Alter
A lifetime of music has shaped Matt Alter’s journey. From early school bands to picking up his first guitar after high school, music has always been a constant. Even when life and a demanding career as a surgeon took him away from it temporarily.
Returning to the guitar reignited his passion, leading to performances with cover and original bands in Richmond, Virginia, and opening for nationally touring acts.
Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Matt Alter has released four solo albums, including The Bitter Pill (2020), Race to the Finish (2021), Did I Offend You? (2023), and an upcoming 2026 release, all reflecting a thoughtful and deliberate approach to songwriting.
Some songs hit hardest not because they are loud, but because they name a feeling you’ve been living with quietly.
ellakate’s “What Fun” does exactly that. Dark, moody and quietly self-assured, the Atlanta based artist delivers a song that is less like a performance and more like a late night realization finally taking shape.
Listen in here:
“What Fun” explores the emotional whiplash of a volatile relationship. The kind where you start shrinking yourself to keep the peace, second guessing your instincts and replaying conversations long after they end.
ellakate captures that headspace with a striking atmosphere. Her vocals are calm but weighted, as if she is already tired of explaining herself and the understated production gives the song room to breathe without losing its edge.
What makes the track especially resonant is how relatable it feels. This isn’t heartbreak dressed up for drama. It is the slow unraveling of clarity and the quiet relief that comes with recognizing it. The song taps into themes that many people, particularly women, know well – gaslighting, emotional fatigue and the moment you realize your voice deserves space again.
There’s a polished coolness to “What Fun,” but never at the expense of honesty. It’s the kind of song that fits perfectly into a solo drive, a reflective morning routine or the exact moment you decide you’re done accepting less than you deserve.
With “What Fun,” ellakate positions herself as an artist unafraid to sit in uncomfortable truths and turn them into something empowering.
About ellakate
ellakate is an Atlanta based singer songwriter with music that blends alt pop melodies with raw, lyric driven storytelling. Raised in a musical household, and currently a student at the University of Notre Dame where she also fences competitively, she channels her own experiences with mental health, identity and resilience into songs that are full of truth and vulnerability.
Channeling influences from Billie Eilish to Fiona Apple, ellakate is creating music that is bold, romantic and cheekily relatable. She is a fresh, authentic voice in today’s pop landscape. Whether she’s on stage, in the studio or sharing glimpses of her life online, ellakate builds space for honesty and connection through music.
For fans of emotionally charged alt pop ellakate is an artist to watch.
Fluid, immersive and deeply personal “CHAMELEON” exists in that liminal space between sound, movement and memory. With this release by GAB SAFA, it is a cinematic dance project that unfolds as a three part composition and short film – an exploration of identity, belonging and the power of transformation.
Drawing from her experience as a third culture artist, GABS uses music and visual storytelling to examine what it means to live between worlds, constantly shapeshifting and yet also searching for home.
In this exclusive interview, GABS opens up about the origins of “CHAMELEON”, the inspiration behind its hypnotic visuals and the deeply hands-on process of directing a film she envisioned long before the music existed.
Blurring the lines between artist, filmmaker and performer, GABS invites audiences into a world that is intimate and expansive. One that asks us not just to watch or listen, but to step inside and feel something we may not have words for yet:
1.Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualise this song specifically in this way?
CHAMELEON is a cinematic dance EP (released as a 3-part track + a dance version Radio Edit) about navigating the in-between – the spaces between identities, homes, and selves. Growing up as a third culture kid, I’ve always felt from everywhere and nowhere at once, and I wanted to channel that tension into music. It’s about self-discovery, belonging, and finding power in fragmentation.
I’m an amalgam artist at heart – everything I do, whether it be acting, writing, producing, directing, or singing/songwriting, is just another channel for creative expression.
Directing the film for CHAMELEON felt like the obvious choice and allowed me to merge my skill set into one cohesive experience. The short film is not your typical music video and expands the story beyond sound, letting the audience feel the journey through movement, light and imagery as much as through the music itself. My hope is to always create spaces that feel lived in. I want people to step inside my work and feel like they’ve been there before and felt something similar before, even if they can’t explain why or what it is about it exactly.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The inspiration for the video came from my own background and experience, always living and shapeshifting between different worlds, both physically and emotionally.
I wanted to explore themes of identity, diaspora and self sovereignty, while creating a cinematic universe that feels immersive. Visually, the short film combines hypnotic, ethereal lighting, primal choreography and intimate close-ups to reflect the song’s emotional peaks and valleys.
The storyline follows a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation – moving through moments of uncertainty, tension, and liberation. Every visual choice – from set design to camera angles – was intentional, reflecting the interplay between the fractured self and the search for home, between memory and imagination.
By merging performance, music, and film, the video becomes more than just a song accompaniment; it’s a world for the audience to hopefully witness a part of themselves.
Displacement and longing for home isn’t just about geography; it’s an emotional condition. It’s the ache of being close to something you can never fully return to. I create to transform that ache into something communal, something beautiful.
3. What was the process of making the video?
Creating the CHAMELEON video was a deeply hands-on process.
In fact, I saw the film in my mind before even making the song and getting in the studio with my wildly talented music producer and composer, Kate Eberstadt. A version of the shot list already existed – literally moment to moment – as a visual story that guided the making of the music itself. I wrote, directed, and co-produced the short film, with my longtime collaborator and heart sister – director of photography Maria Raad – to ensure every frame told a story.
Pre-production involved storyboarding, rewrites of multiple shot lists, and visual concept development to align the music with cinematic narrative beats.
I love telling stories through visuals, and music adds another powerful layer. Directing my own video let me mix acting, movement, and cinematic shots all together into a seamless narrative. Filming took place over multiple days and locations, and we really got to experiment with camera movement, lighting, as well as different mediums to make the film feel intimate, immersive, and emotionally authentic. Post-production was a beast of its own! From the mixing, mastering, and engineering with my beautifully meticulous post producer, Matthew Tryba, to the video side with my unstoppable editor, Michael Gray—and incredible visual artist, Lucy London McDonald, who stepped in at the last minute to create the collages when they suddenly felt essential. I’m pretty sure my editor blocked me on all devices at this point!
Anyway, we definitely gave it everything, with long hours, work sessions spent editing, color grading, and syncing movement to the music, to create a multi-dimensional narrative experience where audiences can see, hear, and feel the story simultaneously.
Trust me: watch the film first and then make your way to the dance version Radio Edit (shoutout to fierce mixer AX.EL), to get the full intention and heart behind this project.
And reach out to let me know what you think. I always love to hear!
Amana Melomé closes out the year on a bright, soul lifting note with “Con C.ALMA,” a track that feels like both a celebration and a gentle exhale.
It’s the kind of song that fits perfectly into that reflective space between years. It’s upbeat without being frantic, warm without trying too hard and grounded in a sense of gratitude.
Listen here:
After several years away from releasing music, Melomé returns with a sound that’s joyful, relaxed and quietly confident. The groove carries an easy bounce, while her vocals glide with a calm assurance that suggests she’s exactly where she needs to be. Rather than pushing for attention, she lets the song’s energy speak for itself.
The title translates from Spanish as “with calm,” hints at the song’s deeper intention. By highlighting alma, the soul, Melomé frames the song as a reminder to move through life at your own pace, especially as the year winds down and reflection sets in. It’s an upbeat message delivered with softness – stay present, trust the timing and don’t let the noise rush you.
Jazz pianist Deron Johnson adds an elegant sparkle to the track, his playing light and responsive, giving the song lift without overwhelming its relaxed mood. The collaboration between Melomé and Johnson feels effortless, even more impressive knowing it was recorded across continents. Together they create a sound that is open, sun-touched and quietly celebratory.
“Con C.ALMA” works beautifully as a year end release. It’s a track that invites dancing and introspection in equal measure. It’s hopeful without being naive, joyful without being loud. As the first single from Melomé’s upcoming album Recalibration to be released in the new year, it sets the tone for what feels like a new chapter rooted in balance, ease and intention.
Italian singer songwriter Daniele Odasso has always moved through music with a rare blend of emotional honesty and refined musicanship.
His new single, “Living in Between,” marks a turning point for Daniele, shaped by a period of deep personal transformation and a return to the landscapes of Tuscany that have long anchored his sense of self. Recorded in Viareggio and brought to life through an intimate collaboration with producer Amira, the song drifts between electronic pulse and soulful warmth, mirroring the emotional space it was born from.
What makes this moment in Daniele’s career so compelling is the clarity with which he speaks about the connection between voice, body and environment. Water, reflection, memory and nature all play a role in the sound and visuals of “Living in Between,” forming a world where music becomes a form of inner exploration.
The accompanying video, shot between underwater frames, pine forests and the glowing dunes of Lecciona doesn’t just illustrate the song. It lives and breathes with it.
We sat down with Daniele to talk about the making of “Living in Between,” the sensory world behind his vocal work, the unexpected joy of shooting underwater and how returning to Tuscany helped him rediscover the path forward.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
“Living in Between” was recorded while I was living in Viareggio, Tuscany—a place that carries deep meaning for me because of my mother’s family roots there. During that period, I reconnected with nature in a way that shaped the entire sound of the song: the pulsating electronic groove, the layered vocals, and the fluid movement of the electric guitar all echo that sense of being suspended between states.
Water became a central metaphor throughout the making of the record. Living so close to the sea in Tuscany deeply influenced the emotional atmosphere of the track, and it was something I asked Amira to keep in mind while producing the record—this idea of fluidity, immersion, and constant movement between light and shadow.
That’s why the visual concept also begins with water as a symbolic entry point. It represents the emotional space from which the song emerged: a place of introspection, depth, and transformation. As the video shifts into the landscape of pine trees and dunes in Viareggio, it mirrors the song’s inner journey—from being enveloped by the element of water to resurfacing in the brightness of the natural world that inspired the music.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The visuals were inspired by my daily proximity to water in Viareggio and the sensory relationship I developed with it through swimming every day. Because my vocal research is rooted in the Lichtenberger method, which focuses on acoustic perception and proprioception, being immersed in such a fluid medium gave me a new way of experiencing sound in my body. That liquid, tactile connection to water deeply influenced how I approached singing on this record, and Amira’s production supported and expanded that direction.
I wanted the video to reflect this whole sensory world, so I created an initial storyboard centered on an immersive water state and shared it with director Francesco Quadrelli. After exploring underwater imagery with photographer William Petriccioli and scouting the dunes of Viareggio together, the visual arc became clear: starting within the layered reflections and depth of water, gradually moving toward the sunlight near the beach, and ultimately returning to the sea. The visuals mirror the full cycle that shaped the music—nature, body, voice, and sound flowing back into one another.
3. What was the process of making the video?
The process of making the video was truly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I first met the incredibly talented art director William Petriccioli, who also shot the cover and instantly grasped the imagery and intentions behind the project. Shortly after, I met Francesco Quadrelli, a visionary and evocative director who immediately understood the concept and the different technical possibilities for shooting underwater. His visual language aligned perfectly with what I had envisioned and pushed the concept even further.
Shooting the underwater scenes was unexpectedly fun. I had trained myself to move from different directions while keeping my eyes open and staying in constant dialogue with Francesco’s camera. That allowed us to play with the surface of the water from multiple angles, creating those mirrored layers of light that shift with my movements.
We then moved to the “outside world.” The first scenes were filmed in my grandmother’s house in Tuscany—a room I literally grew up in—before heading to the pine forest near the beach of Lecciona in Viareggio. That location has an extraordinary sunset between the dunes and the water, and it became the perfect place to let go and immerse myself at the end of the day.
William and Francesco are an extraordinary team, and because they’re close friends, their trust and synergy made me feel completely embraced and understood throughout the shoot. We filmed in the exact order of the narrative, starting with the morning water scenes and ending with the sunset and my return to the sea. Experiencing that progression in real time felt both powerful and deeply cathartic.
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