London-based singer-songwriter and spoken word artist APRIL AMSTADAM unveils her latest single, ‘Show Me Love’, available now across all major music streaming platforms.
Known for blending delicate, heartfelt vocals with evocative spoken word, soulful jazz influences, and contemporary production, April Amsterdam creates music that resonates with honesty, emotion and authenticity.
Over the past decade, she has established herself as a familiar face on London’s live music circuit, performing at acclaimed events and open mic nights including Soul Sunday and Her Open Mic at Green Note Camden. Her performances explore themes of identity, love, healing, self-expression, and emotional growth, captivating audiences with both vulnerability and strength.
With ‘Show Me Love’, April stays true to her alternative soul roots while blending with deep Afro beat undertones. The result is an infectious, feel-good anthem that combines rhythmic energy with heartfelt lyricism, delivering a euphoric listening experience.
LAUREN ANDERSON brings the grit and power of ‘Midnight Train To Memphis’ to the screen with the official music video for her breakout single. Filmed on railroad tracks surrounded by towering train cars and bathed in the glow of a Tennessee sunset, the performance video captures Anderson and her band in their element — delivering an electrifying performance that feels as expansive and cinematic as the song itself.
The visual perfectly complements the track’s blues-infused swagger, pairing Anderson’s commanding vocals with sweeping shots of the band performing against a backdrop that nods to the song’s title and spirit. Equal parts Americana and rock-and-roll, the video highlights the chemistry between Anderson and her musicians, showcasing the high-energy live show that has made her a standout on stages across the country.
‘Midnight Train To Memphis’ first introduced Anderson to millions during her Season 28 Blind Audition on The Voice. In a moment that quickly resonated with viewers, Snoop Dogg turned his chair on Anderson’s final note, securing her place on Team Snoop and transforming the song into a defining chapter of her career. The official video serves as a fitting continuation of that journey, giving fans a new way to experience the song that launched her national television debut.
With its stunning visuals, powerhouse performances, and undeniable sense of place, the ‘Midnight Train To Memphis’ music video further solidifies Lauren Anderson as one of the most exciting voices working at the intersection of blues, soul, and rock today.
ABOUT LAUREN ANDERSON | Known for her powerhouse vocals, fiery stage presence, and deeply personal storytelling, Lauren Anderson has established herself as one of the most compelling voices in blues, soul, and rock today. A two-time Josie Music Award winner, Anderson has also earned recognition from the Elite Music Awards, Intercontinental Blues Music Awards, and Global Music Awards. Her 2021 album Love on the Rocks debuted at #14 on the Billboard Blues Chart, while her latest full-length release, Burn It All Down, features collaborations with acclaimed artists Albert Castiglia and John Salaway.
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists!
Once again, music was carefully selected across the genre spectrum for your pleasure! If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up and share your thoughts in the comment section below – your support means a lot to these rising talents!
NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup will be 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.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the music featured!
MEGHAN PULLES – THE MIDHEAVEN
MEGHAN PULLES explores the emotional duality of chasing a dream while navigating profound loss on her new single, ‘The Midheaven.’ Built around delicate piano, sweeping strings, and cinematic crescendos, the track captures the delicate balance between hope and heartbreak, offering listeners a moving meditation on resilience.
Drawing inspiration from the astrological term Midheaven, a symbol of one’s calling, purpose, and public life, Pulles reflects on what it means to step into the future you’ve always imagined while carrying the weight of grief. Her vulnerable vocal performance allows every lyric to feel intensely personal while remaining universally relatable.
About the song, Pulles shares: “The Midheaven was written from the realization that stepping into the life you’ve always dreamed of does not make you immune to grief. As my career continues to grow, I have found myself holding excitement and heartbreak at the same time, watching parts of my world fall away while still believing something beautiful is ahead.”
‘The Midheaven’ is out today on all leading music platforms. Watch the official video below…
GABRIELLE VAUGHN – TWENTY THREE
GABRIELLE VAUGHN confronts the realities of mental illness and survival on her deeply personal new single, ‘TWENTY-THREE.’ Written over the course of three years, from ages 23 to 26, the track offers an unflinching look at what it means to continue carrying battles that many assume should have been left behind with youth.
Built on Vaughn’s signature blend of alternative rock, pop, soul, and R&B influences, the song examines the shame that can accompany struggling in adulthood while ultimately delivering a message of perseverance. Through striking lyricism and emotional vulnerability, Vaughn reminds listeners that healing is not always a straight line.
Speaking about the release, Vaughn shares, “It’s about realizing that mental illness and the urge to hurt yourself don’t always disappear just because you get older. There can be so much shame in still carrying those battles into adulthood, like you should’ve left them behind years ago. I hope this song reminds anyone who’s ever felt that way that they’re not the only one. Sometimes surviving doesn’t look like moving on — it looks like choosing to stay, one day at a time.”
‘TWENTY-THREE.’ was released yesterday on all leading music platforms. Check it out below…
INDIGO SYNDICATE – HOWLING AT THE MOON
INDIGO SYNDICATE Indigo Syndicate slows things down on their new single, ‘Howling At The Moon,’ delivering their most vulnerable and intimate release to date. Stripped back to little more than acoustic guitar and a raw, emotionally charged vocal, the song captures the quiet ache of missing the person you love. Through understated storytelling and heartfelt lyricism, the band transforms distance into something deeply personal and universally relatable.
Written by Samantha Sanford for her partner, Jharyss, during a week-long work trip, the song explores the small moments that make absence feel impossible to ignore. Lyrics like, “I know you love me but I’m overthinking / In my head / I miss you in our bed / Ever since you left / The house is quiet so I keep on singing,” paint a vivid portrait of longing and vulnerability.
While ‘Howling At The Moon’ begins with quiet intimacy, it gradually builds into a soaring, cathartic finale, culminating in the infectious refrain, “Woohoo, woohoo, howling at the moon / I’m howling at the moon for you.” The dynamic progression mirrors the emotional journey of missing someone, transforming solitude into an unforgettable sing-along moment.
‘Howling At The Moon’ was released yesterday across all leading music platforms. Check it out below…
DYVR – REBUILD
London-based electronic artist DYVR announces her debut album ‘Rebuild’, a deeply personal and emotionally charged collection that transforms lived experience into expansive, club-focused electronic music. Blending atmospheric production, euphoric dancefloor energy and intimate songwriting, the independent trans artist delivers a record that explores identity, resilience and community through a distinctive electronic pop lens. Across nine tracks, Rebuild establishes Dyvr as a compelling new voice within the UK’s alternative electronic landscape, where vulnerability and catharsis exist side by side.
Built around themes of pain, sisterhood, healing and self-actualisation, ‘Rebuild’ traces a journey from grief and uncertainty towards celebration and acceptance. Previous singles including ‘Sister’, ‘Glass’, and the new focus track ‘Cry Baby’ introduce the record’s emotional arc, combining dreamy vocal textures, immersive synth arrangements and propulsive club production. The result is an album equally suited to solitary reflection and collective release, capturing the transformative power of the dancefloor as a place of belonging. Check it out below…
MATILDA GRACE – COVER BOY
London’s rising pop artist MATILDA GRACE continues her rapid ascent with her latest single ‘Cover Boy’, an irresistible, nostalgia-fuelled anthem that bridges the worlds of modern pop and rock with the unmistakable energy of the 80s and 90s. At just 21 years old, Matilda is already carving out her own space within the UK’s emerging music landscape, combining sharp songwriting, bold production choices and a playful artistic identity that sets her apart from her peers. Check out ‘Cover Boy’ below…
ANNIINA – DVD
Finnish singer-songwriter ANNIINA, also known as Anniina Ballerina, further cements her place in modern pop with the release of her latest single, “DVD,” continuing to showcase the compelling songwriting and storytelling that have become hallmarks of her artistry.
Blending intimate songwriting, atmospheric folk-inspired instrumentation and captivating vocal performances, the track offers another glimpse into an artist whose deeply personal approach to songwriting is resonating with an ever-growing global audience.
This has cultivated in a sold out headline show in London in May for Anniina, and her catalogue has now exceeded 1 million streams across Spotify and Apple Music.Why not check it out below…
Swedish electronic music producer HANDSHAKE IN SPACE has dropped a banging summer anthem, ‘No other beat ever hits like this,’ out now across all leading music platforms.
Operating at a driving 124 BPM and composed in the moody, resonant key of 5A (A minor), the track is a masterclass in peak-time energy. But unlike traditional instrumental club tracks, ‘No other beat ever hits like this’ features an infectious, driving vocal hook that serves as a love letter to dancefloor culture itself.
With lines like ‘Every drop, every kick, every high / I fall in love with the volume again,’ the track perfectly captures the euphoric, near-religious experience of bass frequencies taking over a room.
“I wanted the lyrics to act as a mirror to what the crowd is physically feeling in the club,” says HANDSHAKE IN SPACE. “When the bass drops, you aren’t just hearing it—you’re feeling it in your chest. That line, ‘Don’t nobody else make the room shake,’ is the exact energy we wanted to inject into this production.”
The single delivers a relentless build-up, culminating in a heavy, bass-driven chorus designed to shake club sound systems. Early tastemaker support suggests the track’s repetitive, hypnotic hook is primed to become a major summer vocal anthem for festival crowds.
Why not listen to ‘No other beat ever hits like this’ below…
Working musicians building careers outside the major-label pipeline often hit the same wall: the music is strong, but the income is not steady. Monetizing musical talent can feel like a trade-off between creative integrity and survival, especially when streaming checks, inconsistent gigs, and endless content demands don’t add up to a plan. The real challenge isn’t effort, it’s turning scattered opportunities into a sustainable music business while managing the day-to-day music entrepreneurship challenges that come with being both artist and operator. With the right creative career development mindset, musicians can connect their sound to reliable revenue.
Understanding the Building Blocks of Music Careers
At the core, a sustainable music career is built on three building blocks: who you serve, what you sell, and how you protect your creative energy. A clear target audience definition keeps your music, messaging, and offers pointed at the people who are most likely to care.
This matters because most music entrepreneurship challenges come from guessing. When you know your audience and spot real opportunities like lessons, live events, licensing, or memberships, you stop chasing every shiny option. Consistent audience engagement also lowers risk because feedback and repeat support show what is working.
Think of it like booking a tour. If you play everywhere, you spend more and earn less. If you focus on the group of people already responding, each show becomes easier to sell and scale. With that clarity, structured training can strengthen planning, marketing, decisions, and financial literacy.
Build Business Skills That Support Your Music Career Long-Term
Once you understand the moving parts of a music career, the next step is building the skills to run those parts with confidence. Earning a business management degree can give creative professionals practical tools that make it easier to turn talent into something sustainable. You build a foundation in marketing, so you can promote your work and reach the right audiences, along with finance skills that help you understand costs, pricing, and cash flow. You also learn operations, which supports smoother day-to-day execution, and strategic planning, which strengthens long-term decision-making so your business grows intentionally instead of by accident.
If you need education to fit around gigs, a day job, family, or other responsibilities, an online option can be especially helpful. A business management bachelor’s online can let you advance your training while keeping your current commitments, so you don’t have to put your life on hold to build new skills. With stronger management fundamentals in place, you’ll be ready to apply them to how you package your offerings, set prices, and find clients in the next section.
Use This 6-Part Playbook to Package, Price, and Find Clients
If your offers feel “fuzzy,” clients hesitate, even when your music is great. Use this playbook to turn your skills into clear, priced options people can say yes to.
Inventory your skills and pick one “main problem” to solve: List everything you can reliably deliver (performing, writing, producing, teaching, editing, arranging). Then choose one primary outcome for a specific buyer, like “custom walk-on music for local sports teams” or “vocal demos for singer-songwriters.” This connects directly to the business-planning habit of picking a direction, then measuring results instead of chasing every opportunity.
Package services into three tiers (Good/Better/Best): Turn your main offer into three versions with clear boundaries: deliverables, turnaround time, revisions, and usage rights. Example: Basic = one 60-second track in 7 days; Plus = two versions + stems; Premium = three versions + two rounds of revisions + faster delivery. Tiering works because it helps clients self-select, and it gives you an easy way to upsell without awkward negotiations.
Build pricing from a simple cost-and-time formula: Start with your baseline monthly number (living costs + savings + business expenses), then divide by the billable hours you can realistically deliver. Use that to set a minimum hourly “floor,” then convert it to package prices so you’re not selling time, you’re selling outcomes. Keep a one-page price sheet and review it monthly the same way you’d review a budget: what sold, what took too long, and what needs a price raise.
Diversify products so you’re not dependent on one income stream: Aim for a mix of (a) custom work, (b) repeatable services, and (c) scalable products. For instance: custom commissions (high-touch), a weekly lesson slot (repeatable), and sample packs or sheet music (scalable). Because digital music distribution is projected to exceed 70% of total music industry revenues, it’s smart to build at least one offer that sells digitally while you sleep.
Choose 2–3 client attraction methods and track them for 30 days: Pick a small set you can do consistently, examples: outreach to 10 local venues/creators per week, one short performance clip per week, and one referral follow-up per gig. A practical rule is to start with 2-3 strategies so you can actually measure what’s working instead of spreading yourself thin. Track inputs (messages sent, posts made, events attended) and outputs (calls booked, deposits collected).
Turn every client into a repeatable pipeline: After each project, send a simple closeout message: recap what you delivered, ask for one sentence of feedback you can quote, and offer a “next step” package. Example: “If you want two more tracks next month, I can hold a slot with a 25% deposit.” This is where your decision-making and financial literacy pay off, deposits, scopes, and timelines reduce stress and protect your creative energy.
Musician Career FAQs: Money, Balance, and Clarity
Q: How can I make music income feel less unpredictable? A: Start by building a “base layer” of reliable revenue like lessons, retainers, or monthly content work. Then add higher-variance income like gigs or commissions on top. Remember that streaming accounts for a majority of recorded-music revenue, so treat streaming as one channel, not the whole plan.
Q: What should I do when I’m booked, but still broke? A: That usually means your rates, scope, or time estimates are off. Track hours for two weeks, then raise prices or tighten deliverables on anything that consistently overruns. Also require deposits so cash flow matches your workload.
Q: How do I sell without feeling pushy or “less artistic”? A: Reframe selling as clarity: you are explaining outcomes, boundaries, and timelines so clients can decide. Use a one-sentence promise and a simple price sheet, then let the offer do the talking.
Q: When should I quit my day job to go full-time? A: Wait until your music income covers your baseline expenses for several months and you have a pipeline you can repeat. A gradual ramp often protects your creativity and reduces panic decisions.
Q: How can I grow opportunities if I don’t know the right people? A: Make relationship-building a weekly habit, not a one-time push. The idea that networking is key becomes practical when you set a target like two new conversations and one follow-up each week.
Turn Creativity Into Long-Term Music Career Success—One Step Weekly
It’s easy to feel pulled between making great art and making the business side work, especially when money, time, and identity all collide. Long-term music career success comes from treating creativity and business strategy as partners, building a steady business mindset for musicians that supports sustainable artist development. When that mindset shows up consistently, decisions get clearer, income gets more predictable, and music entrepreneurship motivation stops depending on mood or luck. A sustainable music career is built with art on purpose and business on purpose.
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