Recently featured in NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Round-up, Illinois rapper YB GHOSTY pops into the interview seat to discuss his latest single, ‘Made It Thru The Night’ and how he uses AI as part of the creative process.
NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. Please introduce yourself to the world!
YG: What’s good, world — I’m YB Ghosty. I make late night rap music straight outta District 88. The Ghostyverse is my world; the music is how you get in.
NLM: You released your single, ‘Made It Thru The Night’ in September. What is the public perception of the single so far?
YG: Honestly? People been relating to it heavy. It’s a survival anthem — everybody’s got a night they had to make it through. Shoutout to New Lease Music for featuring it in their roundup, that meant a lot.
NLM : What inspired you to write/produce the single?
YG: Real life. Everybody I know got a story about a night that almost broke ’em. I wanted to make the song you play at 3 AM when you’re still standing. District 88 never sleeps, and neither do the people trying to make it out.
NLM: How would you describe the single’s sound to potential fans?
YG: Late-night rap — heavy bass, spacey, cinematic. The kind of track that sounds like driving through the city with the windows down when you got nowhere to be but everywhere to go.
NLM: You use AI to help produce ‘Made It Thru The Night’ as well as your previous releases. What initially inspired you to use AI as part of your music-making process?
YG: Freedom. I didn’t have a label, a budget, or a studio — but I had a whole universe in my head. AI let me build all of it: the music, the visuals, the world. Nobody had to co-sign me. I just started dropping.
NLM: Can you take us briefly through your creative process when using AI to produce your music?
YG:It always starts with a story or a feeling — something real I need to get off my chest. I write the songs, shape the sound, then use AI to produce and build the world around it. I’m the director; the tech is just the crew.
NLM: What would you say to musicians and other creatives who are strongly opposed to using AI in music?
YG: I would tell them every era had an opp — sampling was stealing, autotune was cheating. I definitely wasn’t gonna get beat by the next person using it, so I had to learn it too. The tool ain’t the artist. If the story’s real and the ear is sharp, the music speaks. Judge the song, not the software.
NLM:What plans do you have in store for 2026?
YG: The album — No Rest In Paradyne. Pre-save is live right now. More singles, more visuals, the Ghostyverse keeps expanding. We’re just getting started.
NLM: How can potential fans find you?
YG: Instagram and TikTok @ybghosty — that’s home base. Spotify, YouTube, everywhere you stream. New drops weekly, tap in.
NLM: Finally, if music didn’t exist, what profession would you do?
YG: I’d run the best taco truck in District 88. No contest.
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists from around the globe!
Once again NLM brings an eclectic mix of genres that’s bound to tickle your fancy – from hard-hitting 808 beats, hip-hop/boom bap to soothing jazz to round off your evening – so why not check them out? If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up or have your say in the comments below- your support and feedback means everything!
NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup is featured on Mondays or Fridays. If you are a indie or an unsigned artist and would like your music featured on the list, send your music links and a short info about the release to submit@newleasemusic.com, with NEW MUSIC ROUNDUP in the subject line.
Please note: there is a small submission fee for artists whose music is selected for the roundup. Selection is based on the music, not payment, and the fee helps cover the running costs of the website and the production of the feature.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the music!
HGM – LOSE YOUR MIND
‘Lose Your Mind’ is a UK rage track built for the mosh pit: blown-out, distorted 808s, aggressive synth stabs and a shouted British vocal. It builds through a countdown into a chant-along hook (“lose your mind, let me see you let go”) made for crowds, gym sessions and late-night drives. For fans of the UK underground and rage scene.
HGM (George) is an artist from South East England whose music journey began in 2017. His tracks mix styles and tell parts of his story. ‘Lose Your Mind’ is out today. Listen below…
DEBBIE RYVERS – ALL MY LOVE
With a career shaped by reggae heritage, soul, R&B and jazz, British vocalist DEBBIE RYVERS continues to build on a remarkable musical legacy with her latest single, ‘All My Love’. Produced by Debbie and her longtime studio engineer Dean Richards AKA Joe 90, the disco-infused release brings together funk, soul, R&B and pop, placing Ryvers’ distinctive vocals at the centre of a warm, uplifting and deeply melodic production.
Born to Jamaican parents, music was embedded in Ryvers’ upbringing from the very beginning. Influenced by the soulful sounds of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Diana Ross & The Supremes, alongside reggae pioneers including Dennis Brown, Alton Ellis, John Holt, Bob Andy, Marcia Griffiths and Bob Marley, she developed a vocal identity informed by both American soul and the reggae and sound system culture of her West Indian heritage. Her early exposure to opera and classical vocal technique further broadened her musical palette, contributing to the versatility that has remained a defining characteristic of her career.
‘All My Love’ was released yesterday (8th October). Listen below…
BULLET BRAK – HITS! BULLET BRAK’S BEST BARS
BULLET BRAK has remastered and formatted all of his biggest records and placed them all in one place… ‘HITS! Bullet Brak’s Best Bars’ out now across all major music platforms. Check it out below…
MILA SIDHU – ONE NIGHT
London-born singer-songwriter MILA SIDHU steps into her power with her latest single ‘One Night’, a sultry fusion of alt-pop and R&B influences that brings her Indian heritage into her music with intoxicating results.
Confident, sensual and rhythmically charged, ‘One Night’ captures the electricity of entering a room knowing all eyes are on you. Rather than chasing somebody else’s attention, Mila flips the dynamic, embodying the person with the power to choose.
“‘One Night’ is about walking into a room being a beautiful girl and knowing you can have anyone you want in that room,” Mila explains.
‘One Night’ is out now. Check out the sultry video below…
PENNI LAYNE – EVERYDAY I FALL IN LOVE
Boston-based vocalist and songwriter PENNI LAYNE returns with ‘everyday i fall in love’, a new album that finds her moving fluidly between jazz, soul and R&B while remaining firmly focused on the emotional heart of each song. Rather than being defined by genre boundaries, Layne’s latest collection is rooted in intimacy, warmth and lived-in songwriting, bringing classic jazz repertoire together with her own original material, written alongside her longtime musical collaborator and husband, bassist and vocalist Larry Jackson.
Recorded at New York City’s legendary Sear Sound and produced by Layne and Jackson, ‘everyday i fall in love’ places chemistry and spontaneity at the centre of its sound. Joined by pianist Michael Kanan, upright bassist Neal Miner and guitarist Greg Ruggiero, Layne and Jackson deliberately avoided over-engineered arrangements, instead allowing the record to develop organically in the studio. With the musicians recording together live, arrangements evolved through instinct, communication and close listening, capturing the natural interplay that has become one of the album’s defining qualities.
‘everyday i fall in love’is out now for your pleasure. Why not kick back, relax and listen below…
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists!
This lineup brings an electric mix of genres that’s bound to tickle your fancy, so why not check them out? If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up or have your say in the comments below.
NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup is featured on Mondays or Fridays. If you are a indie or an unsigned artist and would like your music featured on the list, send your music links and a short info about the release to submit@newleasemusic.com, with NEW MUSIC ROUNDUP in the subject line.
Please note: there is a small submission fee for artists whose music is selected for the roundup. Selection is based on the music, not payment, and the fee helps cover the running costs of the website and the production of the feature.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the music!
GAGE COWART – LEAVING YOU BEHIND
‘Leaving You Behind’ is the latest single from country artist GAGE COWART, out today, 2nd October. Written by Cowart and produced by Dylan Rush at Saxman Studios in Nashville, the track pushes Gage’s Red Dirt and traditional country roots into heavier Southern rock, grunge and punk territory — a sound he’s dubbed “shred dirt.”
While the song plays like a breakup anthem on first listen, it was actually inspired by Gage walking away from a former chapter of his life that had become unhealthy. He deliberately wrote that experience as though he were leaving a toxic relationship, giving the song a meaning that extends beyond the traditional breakup story.
Alabama-born and now based on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Gage Cowart blends honest country songwriting with the grit of Red Dirt, Southern rock and the punk and grunge influences he grew up on. Since releasing his debut album, ‘Life Passes You By’ in 2024, Cowart has continued building his career on the road, sharing stages with artists including Morgan Wallen, Treaty Oak Revival, The SteelDrivers, Shane Smith & The Saints, Priscilla Block and Silverada. A 2024 Jim Beam Welcome Sessions winner, Cowart is now pushing his sound into heavier territory while keeping the storytelling and authenticity at the center of his music.
MADDIE LENHART unveils her debut EP, ‘Why in the World’, a six-track project that brings together country storytelling, Appalachian influence, and modern production. Alongside previously released singles ‘Newton’s First Law,’ ‘Empty Room,’ and the title track ‘Why in the World,’ the EP introduces new material, with ‘Easy on You’ serving as the focus track.
Adding to the excitement around the EP, the title track, ‘Why in the World,’ recently caught the attention of Sheryl Crow, who praised the song on social media — a special moment for Maddie as she prepares to share this deeply personal project with the world. The song also began charting at #31 on the iTunes Country chart alongside releases from Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley, while gaining significant traction across Maddie’s social media.
‘Why in the World’ EP is out today for your pleasure. Why not listen below…
PAUL MINNICH – MEMORY LANE
PAUL MINNICH takes you down ‘Memory Lane’ with his new single, delivering a nostalgic yet fresh take on the moments that never really leave us. From the warm, feel good production to the clever turn of the hook, Minnich is on a roll, capturing the kind of nostalgia that feels both familiar and brand new.
‘Memory Lane’ is the kind of song you play with the windows down, instantly transporting you to sweet summer nights, first loves, and your favorite memories from growing up. It paints a picture of that special place in your mind you can always return to, no matter where life takes you. Minnich captures that feeling perfectly with lines like: “But I can close my eyes/ And everything remains the same / Down on Memory Lane”
With its infectious charm and timeless appeal, ‘Memory Lane’ is a 3 minute sweet escape, and a reminder that sometimes all it takes is closing your eyes to go back to the moments that made you who you are.
‘Memory Lane’ is out today across all leading music platforms.
YOU LIED – SARAH HARDWIG
Fresh off a breathtaking America’s Got Talent Season 21 audition that earned four enthusiastic yes votes and a standing ovation from the judges, Nashville country singer-songwriter SARAH HARDWIG has stepped into a powerful new chapter as she brings back the unapologetic grit of early 2000s country with her newest single, ‘You Lied,’ out today across all leading music platforms. A sharp, no nonsense breakup anthem, the song follows a woman who’s done making excuses for someone who never gave her what she deserved, and isn’t looking back.
With biting lyrics like, “No, I don’t miss all the attention that you never gave / ’Cause like you, I can find someone to take your place,” Hardwig turns heartbreak into confidence, delivering a message about knowing your worth and refusing to settle for less.
The song’s playful imagery adds another layer to its attitude, with lines like, “You’re just a fairytale that can’t tell real from fantasy / You treat me like a princess, but I’m the queen.”
‘You Lied’ is a nostalgic nod to strong, fiery female country records. It’s equal parts breakup, sass, and self-respect. Listen below…
SLEEP NATION – FAMINE THE DESOLATE (EP)
While doomscrolling one day, SLEEP NATION’s Bran Merritt stumbled across Stephen Wilson Jr. and was immediately blown away by his dark, nylon-string acoustic take on Americana and country. Wanting to explore that sound without launching an entirely separate band, the idea became the Four Horsemen series.
Following the electronic/industrial debut, The Spaceman – Conquest, ‘FAMINE THE DESOLATE’ serves as the second installment. The record features vocal contributions from the Sisters Mann, along with Flip Cooper, formerly of Taco Mouth, on bass.
Though they keep the icons of decades past steady in the rearview, Sleep Nation has their eyes locked firmly on the future of rock ‘n’ roll. The Nashville-based alternative rock duo was founded in 2010 by lead vocalist Bran Merritt. After placing a Facebook ad searching for a like-minded collaborator, Merritt connected with drummer Joey Lauretta, and the chemistry was instantaneous. Bound by late-night writing sessions and a shared vision for high-energy music, Sleep Nation was born.
Rapper BEKREATIVE comes through on the lineup again with fierce confidence, righting any wrongs and getting his future paths straight with latest track, ‘Own That’, a must listen for true hip-hop heads. Why not check it out below…
YB GHOSTY – MADE IT THRU THE NIGHT
‘Made It Thru The Night’, the new single from YB GHOSTY, is a late-night anthem about pushing through the dark and coming out the other side.
YB Ghosty is a virtual rapper from District 88 — an openly AI-driven artist building the Ghostyverse, a cyberpunk world of districts, characters, and lore that lives behind the music. ‘Made It Thru The Night’ is out now. Listen below…
MIDNIGHT MYSTERY CLUB – NIGHT VISION (JOE MORRIS COSMIC VISION REMIX
MIDNIGHT MYSTERY CLUB and JOEMORRIS capture those last fleeting moments of summer to extend the golden hour.
Leeds-based DJ, producer, and Shades of Sound founder Joe Morris takes ‘Night Vision’ from the pulsating electro-rock track into a hypnotic and whimsical uplifter. With hints of late 90s chill-out and trip-hop, it is distinctly nostalgic and yet undeniably modern. It’s a track that feels like the last afternoon of a holiday you don’t want to end.
Joe Morris has been involved in underground Balearic music for nearly twenty years. His style has taken him to stages in New York, Brazil, Paris, Ibiza, Geneva, Barcelona, Berlin, Hanoi, and across the UK, crafting emotive atmospheres that run from chilled out vibes to full on dance energy. A Pikes regular in Ibiza, he’s built a solid reputation across the white island and beyond. Through his Shades of Sound label he continues to promote some of the best undiscovered artists throughout the genre.
MIDNIGHT MYSTERY CLUB are an indie electro duo based out of Florida, releasing through Playing Hooky Music. Their music has been featured by Café Mambo, Café del Mar, Soho House and many others. Winners of the Independent Music Awards for Electronic/Dance Producers of the Year.
‘Night Vision (Joe Morris Cosmic Vision Remix)’ is the first single from the upcoming Telescope: Redux, the follow-up companion to Telescope (released July 10th). The compilation arrives January 2027 featuring a collection of downtempo, deep house, Balearic, and modern house revisions by some of the genres’ most groundbreaking artists.
KEYON HARRIS – JANUARY MAN
Lifted from his latest EP, ‘Mind Of An Aquarius’, award-winning songwriter and artist KEYON HARRIS‘ single, ‘January Man’, is an obscurely groovy tune about love. It’s also a coming-of-age song in which he explores who he is and who he’s becoming.
Hailing from Alabama, Keyon Harris started penning songs from the age of 11 with the desire to uplift, inspire, encourage and motivate people with his unique soothing bluesy sound. With songs often reflecting his own life experiences and obstacles, Keyon lives by the motto: can’t stop, won’t stop, ain’t goin’ stop!’
Busy parents juggling work and home, professionals managing packed calendars, and caregivers holding everything together often run on alert all day. Deadlines, constant notifications, money worries, and interrupted sleep can stack up until stress feels like the default setting, making it hard to think clearly or rest. Building stress awareness matters because stress rarely announces itself as “stress”, it shows up as irritability, tension, or checking out. Creative stress relief offers practical stress management techniques that fit real schedules while supporting the mental health benefits of creativity.
Quick Summary: Creative Calm Strategies
Try art therapy inspired activities to express emotions and reduce stress through simple, low pressure making.
Practice mindfulness through creativity by staying present with colors, textures, sounds, or movement.
Mix digital and offline creative outlets to find accessible stress relief options that match your routine.
Try Image-to-Image AI Art for a Gentle 10-Minute Reset
If you liked the idea of fast, calming creative outlets, a tiny dose of digital play can feel just as soothing. Experimenting with AI art tools can be surprisingly low-pressure, especially if you start with an image-to-image approach. Instead of creating something from scratch, you upload an existing photo or piece of artwork and describe how you want it transformed: shift the style, change the setting, adjust the colors, or add other visual details. Tools like Adobe Firefly image to image make it easy to explore these variations, so you can focus on gentle experimentation rather than “getting it right.” You can also provide a reference image to guide the overall look, which helps you steer the mood and aesthetic you’re aiming for while still letting the tool do the heavy lifting, no advanced artistic skills required.
Pick Your Path: Low-Cost Creative Habits for Stress Relief
When stress is high, creativity gives your brain something steady to hold onto: a small task, a sensory focus, and a clear “done” point. Choose one option below and try it today, most take 10–20 minutes and use what you already have.
Paint a “two-color mood map”: For painting for stress relief, limit yourself to two colors and one tool (a brush, sponge, or even a cotton swab). Fill a page with shapes that match how you feel, tight lines for tension, soft washes for calm, without trying to make it “good.” The constraint quiets decision fatigue, and the repetitive motion can downshift your nervous system.
Journal with a 3-part template (facts, feelings, next step): Journaling benefits come from turning a swirl of thoughts into something organized and finishable. Write 3 bullets for what happened, 3 words for how you feel, and 1 small next step you can do in 24 hours. Many people find journaling works as a stress management tool, especially when you keep it simple enough to repeat.
Make a 60-second loop to reset your body: For music creation and relaxation, record or tap a short rhythm (claps on your desk count), then layer a second sound, humming, a shaker made from rice in a jar, or a simple melody. Play it back on repeat for two minutes while you breathe slowly. Loops are calming because they’re predictable; your mind can stop scanning for “what’s next.”
Try “single-sense crafting” for mindfulness: For crafting and mindfulness, pick one craft action and do only that for 10 minutes, threading beads, folding paper, cutting strips, or tying knots. Keep attention on one sensory cue: the texture, the sound of scissors, or the colors lining up. When your mind wanders, return to the cue without judging yourself.
Start digital drawing with three brushes and three shapes: For digital drawing for beginners, set a 15-minute timer and restrict yourself to a pen, a soft shading brush, and an eraser. Build a scene using only circles, triangles, and rectangles, then refine just one area (like the shadows on a mug). The structure keeps it low-pressure, similar to the gentle “tweak and transform” feel of image-to-image AI art.
Do a “prompt-and-paintover” from your AI art reset: Take an image you generated in that 10-minute image-to-image practice and paint over it, digitally or with markers, adding three personal touches (a color shift, a symbol, a caption). This works because the blank-page stress is already solved; your job is only to respond and personalize. Save versions so you can see progress without perfectionism.
Use creative meditation techniques with a moving anchor: Instead of focusing on breath alone, focus on a gentle action: tracing a spiral on paper, slowly doodling a line that never lifts, or coloring one small section at a time. Pair the movement with a cue word like “soften” or “release” on each exhale. The motion gives your attention somewhere to land when thoughts are loud.
Turn Creative Outlets Into a Calm-Building Weekly Habit
Stress has a way of piling up when days feel full and recovery gets postponed. The most reliable antidote is adopting creative practices as small, repeatable routines, using engaging in relaxing hobbies to shift the nervous system out of overdrive and into steadier focus. Over time, the benefits of creative outlets show up as long-term stress management and positive mental health habits that feel less like “self-care” and more like a normal part of life. Calm is built in small, creative moments repeated often.
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists!
There are three no skip artists that brings their something different to the table. Why not check them out? If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up or have your say in the comments below.
NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup is featured on Mondays or Fridays. If you are a indie or an unsigned artist and would like your music featured on the list, send your music links and a short info about the release to submit@newleasemusic.com, with NEW MUSIC ROUNDUP in the subject line.
Please note: there is a small submission fee for artists whose music is selected for the roundup. Selection is based on the music, not payment, and the fee helps cover the running costs of the website and the production of the feature.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the music!
NICK RYAN – NEVER EVER
NICK RYAN is back with a heartfelt, nostalgic Y2K inspired feel that’s sure to have you thinking about a long lost lover, friend, or someone who left a lasting mark on your life. Ryan perfectly captures the feeling of confronting someone who betrayed you and walked away when you needed them most, with lines like: “You want back in / But where were you then? / The end was the end / I’ll tell you again, I’ll tell you again”
Ryan gets vulnerable about what it feels like to close your heart off for good, singing, “Never ever / Not gonna open up my heart / Never ever / Not gonna be torn apart,” and how that kind of hurt can change you permanently. That vulnerability shines through in his voice, giving the song an emotional weight that lingers long after the final note. Ryan perfectly delivered a song that feels instantly familiar, yet entirely his own.
‘Never Ever’ is out today for your pleasure.
HANDSHAKE IN SPACE – WAITING FOR YOU
Swedish electronic producer HANDSHAKE IN SPACE returns with single, ‘Waiting For You’, a must-have for the dancefloor!
Spanning 7 minutes and 1 second, ‘Waiting For You’ is an uplifting Melodic House / Progressive EDM journey. Driven by a 129 BPM rhythm in Key 8A (A Minor), the track pairs powerful, soulful lead vocals with lush synth progressions and driving basslines. It captures a transformative narrative—moving from reflective verses into explosive, emotional drops.
The monochrome triple-exposure artwork reflects the song’s message of resilience and mental health awareness, serving as an ode to finding light after dark periods.
“‘Waiting For You’ represents the transition out of prolonged isolation and mental struggle. It’s a testament to patience, presence, and the moment when the darkness finally begins to fade away.” – Stefan Halling (Handshake In Space).
Check it out below…
MARIAM DAVINA – CERTAINTY
MARIAM DAVINA returns with ‘Certainty,’ a soulful Christian R&B track about trusting God when we cannot see or understand what lies ahead. Inspired by Hebrews 11:1, the song is a reminder that our faith is rooted not in what we see, but in who Christ is. Through every season, Mariam encourages listeners to walk by faith and remain certain of God.
Mariam draws inspiration from artists including Mary Mary, Kierra Sheard, Koryn Hawthorne and Ahjah Walls. Growing up leading worship and ministering in church shaped her distinctive sound, confident stage presence and powerful vocals.
