Press play on our special IWD edition.
To celebrate International Women’s Day this Monday, we’ve curated a selection of the best new tracks from some of our favourite rising musicians. Whether you need an empowering boost from or a peaceful chill out with India Shawn, there’s something for everyone to celebrate IWD your own way.
‘too sweet’ – india shawn feat. unknown mortal orchestra
LA’s soulful songstress is back with a vibrant new track. ‘Too Sweet’ echoes India Shawn’s signature sound with sultry, dynamic vocals over a steady beat, this time paired with Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s psychedelic sound. India explains, “I remember watching an interview of Aaliyah talking about her love for alternative music. I think that’s where my deep dive into alt & indie rock began….It’s been a goal of mine for years now to create the kind of music that I listen to. I’m happy I’ve finally manifested that with [this song].”
‘pay your way in pain’ – st vincent
Hot off the announcement of her long-awaited sixth album Daddy’s Home, St Vincent has innovated herself again in new track ‘Pay Your Way in Pain’. A gritty funk single reminiscent of the 70s, it’s the perfect taste of what’s yet to come. Annie Clark aka St Vincent teases: “Daddy’s Home collects stories of being down and out in downtown NYC. Last night’s heels on the morning train. Glamour that’s been up for three days straight.” Count us in.
‘blue’ – madison beer
Having dropped her debut album after years of hit singles and acclaimed EPs, Madison Beer has proven herself to be the boundary-pushing pop icon we knew she could be. A project celebrating the strength music gives the young star (“Writing songs is like therapy for me. That’s why this album is called Life Support”), ‘Blue’ paints a picture of the pain Madison’s pushed through. To get your Beer fix, check out our interview with her here.
‘cuts & bruises’ – josie man
Uplifting us with her sentimental sound is Josie Man with her new single ‘Cuts & Bruises’. A love song for Gen Z, it’s a romantic track with thoughtful lyrics and an energetic sound. “I am no longer afraid of the past, the present or the future”, Josie sings: it’s a sentiment we can get behind, and one to celebrate this IWD.
‘something’ – tequisha
Rising star Tequisha’s first single from her upcoming debut EP Complicated is a delicate tale of self love. ‘Something’ chronicles the realisation of seeking something more, as you know you deserve more: “I wrote this in a back and forth relationship where I made some choices that went against what I stand for and that I had to make a change,” Tequisha explains. Music with a cause and a heart, we can’t wait to follow Tequisha’s journey.
‘confident’ – kat cunning
Trailblazing non-binary musician Kat Cunning returns with an empowering new song, ‘Confident’. It’s a track encouraging you to be yourself, set boundaries and live your best life, Kat explained: “I hope it makes people feel sexy and strong, and encourages them either to empower the people they love to evolve with them or say “AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR DIS, SIS”.
‘serotonin’ – girl in red
Norwegian singer-songwriter girl in red has dropped her latest single in the run-up to her highly anticipated album in April. Rising to fame thanks to TikTok last year, Marie Ulven aka girl in red has proven herself to be more than just a viral trend, creating thought-provoking and innovative music. Her latest ‘Serotonin’ is no exception, a heartfelt track ready to put you in your feels, so press play now.
‘be sweet’ – Japanese breakfast
After two evocative albums dealing with grief and struggle, Michelle Zauner aka Japanese Breakfast has returned with a vibrant and full of life track. An alt-pop, 80s synth-filled tune and lyrics as cute as the title suggests, ‘Be Sweet’ reminds us that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. With an ode to The X-Files video alongside, it’s playful and positive and everything we need right now.
‘dead girl!’ – au/ra
“I wrote ‘Dead Girl!’ when I was feeling especially out of place when I came back home,” Au/Ra explains, “Being away for a while left me feeling disconnected from a lot of people.” So instead of feeling sad or angry about being isolated and misunderstood, Au/Ra a wrote a song to empower herself and to help her be unapologetically herself. Need we say any more?
‘homecoming freestyle’ – Br3nya
Back with her first release of the year is Br3nya, celebrating Ghana’s 64th Independence Day with ‘Homecoming Freestyle’. The West London artist brings us some good vibes to get us through the tough times, with her signature snappy bars laid on top of Ghanaian musician’s Ofori Amponsah’s 2005 ‘Otoolege’ sample. It’s summer in a tune, and we can’t wait to blast it dreaming of a post-lockdown life.
