MARYAIANNE & ME has unveiled her highly anticipated album, ‘Blue Skies’, which is out now across all leading platforms. Featuring an eclectic mix of styles across ten tracks, ‘Blue Skies’ is also available to order as a limited-edition physical CD via herwebsite.
Alongside the release of her album, MaryAiAnne & Me also shares the lead single, ‘Heart Of Stone’, an emotive Country ballad about letting go of the emotional baggage of past relationships and embracing the possibilities of a new love. She also shares singles, ‘Blues Skies’ and Wanna Go To America’, which showcase her rockabilly-inspired side.
‘Blue Skies’ album features previously released singles, ‘Highway’, ‘Ocean Motion’ and ‘Perfect Valentine’. The singles received acclaim from radio stations worldwide and topped CHBN Radio’s The Playlist Chart in the UK.
MaryAiAnne & Me is the brainchild of Welsh singer-songwriter Maryanne Dugan, whose passion for music and songwriting began at just five years old.
That early passion gained momentum throughout her formative years. Maryanne often took leading singing and acting roles during her primary school years and became a member of her local choir, where she learned to play several instruments and regularly performed in pantomimes. As a teenager, she began writing deeply personal poetry and stories, eventually going on to study Creative Writing at degree level.
However, her creative journey was interrupted following a traumatic experience. In the aftermath, Maryanne became increasingly reclusive but continued to write songs, eventually finding a new creative outlet through SUNO (AI). The technology became a creative partner, helping her bring her lyrics to life and capture the emotions behind her songwriting.
Gradually finding her way back into the world, Maryanne began volunteering for a local charity in Kingston upon Thames, where she now lives. It was there that she met John Hewlett, who was struck by her storytelling and subsequently became her manager.
Hewlett brings decades of experience in the music industry, dating back to the 1960s. During his career, he collaborated with iconic acts including The Beatles, T. Rex and Sparks, while also managing artists including McGuinness Flint, Gallagher & Lyle, Sparks and The Incredible Shrinking Dickies. He also produced The Incredible Shrinking Dickies’ eponymous album.
With John’s support, Maryanne began sharing her songs with the world. Encouraged by the positive response, she decided to reveal her identity and step into the spotlight as an artist, marking a new chapter in her creative journey.
Maryanne continues to use music and songwriting as a way of working through her traumatic experience, with the hope that her storytelling can resonate with and support others facing similar challenges.
As part of her ongoing journey to manage depression and anxiety, Maryanne is currently taking singing lessons to fine-tune her vocals, with plans to eventually perform her music in front of a live audience.
Until then, she leaves us with three standout singles from her album: ‘Heart Of Stone’, ‘Wanna Go To America’ and ‘Blue Skies’.
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists!
This mammoth lineup features a real mix bag of styles that’s bound to keep you entertained well into the weekend. There’s not much to say other than dive in and check out these promising artists! If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up 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.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the music!
JULIE EDDY – ’74 NOVA
JULIE EDDY is back with ‘’74 Nova,’ a feel-good country anthem about loving your roots, chasing your dreams, and driving straight toward freedom. Inspired by her dad’s first car, a 1974 Nova, the song captures the push and pull between where you come from and where you’re headed.
The chorus is the heart of the song, perfectly capturing that feeling: “Roots holding me down but my heart strings pulled me harder / Driving me crazy to stay hell bent to get farther / Headed anywhere somewhere south of South Dakota / Foot on the gas, hand out the window of a ‘74 Nova.”
Eddy shares, “‘74 Nova’ was inspired by my dad’s love for old cars. His very first car was a ’74 Nova…He has always joked with me about writing a song about his Nova and my siblings, and I have always joked about who was eventually going to get the car passed on to them, so I wrote a hypothetical situation into this song that he gave the Nova to me, and I moved to Nashville with it to chase my dreams. All of the video and photo content for the song was shot with my dad’s Nova in my small town in South Dakota right down the road from where I grew up. This song makes me feel nostalgia, hope, and anticipation for what’s next, a deep appreciation for my roots, and has quickly become one of my favorite songs I’ve ever recorded.”
”74 Nova’ is out today across all leading music platforms.
RAMI – SAVE MYSELF
RAMI makes a striking introduction with a heartfelt song titled, ‘Save Myself’ that showcases both her emotional depth and undeniable vocal presence. Backed by a talented team that includes a Grammy winning songwriter and engineer, she is quickly establishing herself as an artist to watch in the pop space.
From the very first notes, Rami’s voice remains front and center, carrying the weight of the story as the song builds from quiet reflection into powerful, emotionally charged moments.
About the song, she explains, “From the beginning, I knew I wanted the song to be personal. I wanted to create a ballad about a very difficult period of my life — a time of loss, confusion, and feeling as though everything around me was falling apart. But I did not want the story to end in sadness. The most important part was what came afterward: finding my own strength, putting myself back together, and realizing that I had the power to save myself.”
That journey from feeling lost to reclaiming her own strength is woven throughout the song, coming to life in powerful lyrics like, “I was tired of waiting for someone / To come rescue me from what I’d done” and “All alone in a tower big and tall / But I was the prince here after all.”
With its powerful message, Rami proves she has something meaningful to say, and the voice to make you listen.’Save Myself’ is out today from all leading platforms.
MCMILLIN – I LOSE
MCMILLIN‘s ‘I LOSE’ turns overthinking into something visceral, capturing the exhausting cycle of second-guessing every possible outcome until there’s nowhere left to go. The song’s chorus puts that feeling into sharp focus: “Freezing up with every choice I have to choose / Fearing the future could be colder than the Ice I’ve fallen through.” That anxiety builds into the song’s defining realization: “It’s a mental game that imitates a twisted truth / Played 100 ways from every point of view / And in every case I lose.”
McMillin describes the track as “a heavy rock joint that underscores lyrics of inadequacy, defeat and self-doubt,” adding that its sound is built around “a darkness and light of angelic synths battling dark and aggressive guitars.” That contrast is central to ‘I LOSE,’ which moves from tightly wound tension into a crushing half-time breakdown before unexpectedly dissolving into a hazy, synth-driven passage. The result is a song that moves through pressure, collapse, and emotional exhaustion without offering an easy resolution.
‘I LOSE’ is out today across all leading music platforms.
CLARITY LIAO – LOSE
Emerging singer-songwriter CLARITY LIAO steps fully into her solo era with new single ‘Lose’, the focus single from her upcoming debut EP ‘Dear…,’, a seven-song collection of intimate musical letters exploring love, jealousy, rejection, loneliness and the complicated process of finally letting go.
‘Lose’ is an upbeat pop track that captures the emotional chaos of fearing that someone you love is falling for somebody else.
Born from Clarity’s heartache over a boy she deeply cared for, ‘Lose’ confronts the jealousy that emerged when another girl appeared to embody everything Clarity feared she wasn’t. What begins as projection and comparison gradually becomes something more accepting, as Clarity faces the possibility that the relationship she desperately wants may never exist.
Moving between indie pop, R&B, bedroom pop, contemporary singer-songwriter influences and modern doo-wop, ‘Lose’ adopts its own musical personality while remaining connected by Clarity’s candid storytelling.
Originally, she imagined the song as a sparse, Adele-inspired piano ballad, allowing its vulnerability to sit almost completely exposed. Once in the studio, however, the production took an unexpected turn. Upbeat drums and electric guitar transformed the track into something far more energetic, creating a playful contrast with lyrics filled with jealousy, insecurity and emotional turmoil.
“This song is one of my favorites,” Clarity explains. “It shows my jealousy and madness in a fun upbeat way. At first I was doubting the upbeat drums and electric guitar, aiming for a soft mellow vibe, but the more I stuck with the process, the more I understood what this letter was really trying to explain to the receiver.”
‘Lose’ is now available across all music platforms.
SAMSARA – SWORDFIGHT
London-based, Australian-born artist SAMSARA steps into a bold new chapter with ‘Swordfight’, a brooding yet exhilarating new EP that sees the 22-year-old fully embracing the artist she has become. Raised in Hong Kong and now based in London, Samsara has developed a singular approach to contemporary pop, using emotionally charged songwriting, maximalist electronic production and a theatrical visual identity to explore themes of identity, sexuality, transformation, vulnerability and power.
Across ‘Swordfight’, Samsara turns deeply personal experiences into something immediate, danceable and unapologetically pop. The EP exists firmly within her own electronic-pop universe, balancing moments of emotional exposure with the confidence and theatricality that have become central to her artistic identity. Rather than presenting a polished version of her story, Samsara allows the contradictions to remain, vulnerability can sit alongside bravado, while difficult experiences become fuel for something celebratory and empowering.
Focus track ‘Stab ’n Smile’ captures that tension particularly well. A euphoric rush of synth-driven electro-pop, the track pairs propulsive production with lyrics that cut considerably deeper than its infectious surface suggests. There is a familiar immediacy to its melodic synth work, while Samsara’s commanding vocal delivery gives the track its own unmistakable character. It is pop built for movement, but with something much more personal at its core.Check out ‘Swordfight’ below…
WORMOGENIC – 16
Emerging alt-pop artist WORMOGENIC continues to build serious momentum with ‘16’, a shimmering dream-pop rush that further establishes her as one of the genre’s most distinctive new voices. Blending glossy synth textures with gritty electronics, driving bass and an instinctive pop sensibility, the Florida-raised artist delivers a track that is as emotionally candid as it is immediately infectious.
Raised on Florida’s coast, Wormogenic draws on the turbulence and contradictions of adolescence to shape a sound that sits at the intersection of retro-inspired pop, grunge-edged alternative and contemporary dream pop. Her music embraces the colourful, camp and unapologetically expressive side of modern alternative pop, pairing sharp songwriting with a willingness to explore the less polished realities of growing up.
On ‘16’, that approach comes into particularly sharp focus. Written from a place of isolation and emotional uncertainty, the track examines self-sabotage, anxiety and the uneasy feeling that happiness can disappear just as quickly as it arrives. Wormogenic turns those themes into an anthemic, hook-driven statement, with a darker synth edge recalling the atmospheric pulse of New Order adding further depth to the track’s otherwise luminous production.
“I wrote 16 after a bad birthday where I felt isolated and lonely,” Wormogenic explains. “16 is the thesis statement of the EP. It’s synth inspired by Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro’s production work. It’s about coping with growing up and it’s the song I’m most proud of on the EP.”
Built around gritty guitars and bass, expansive synths and a striking central chorus, ‘16’ demonstrates an artist already displaying an unusually assured understanding of songwriting and sonic identity. Despite being only her third single, Wormogenic continues to expand her musical world at a rapid pace, suggesting an artist with ambitions that extend well beyond the emerging alternative scene.
The single arrives ahead of her forthcoming debut EP, ‘Bandaids’, where Wormogenic will continue exploring the emotional contradictions of teenage life.
ANTHONY CHURCH – STARING (FT. CHESTER WATSON)
Northeast Ohio producer ANTHONY CHURCH connects with the distinct style and voice of Chester Watson to deliver ‘Staring’, the lead single to his upcoming compilation album ‘Grateful Is An Understatement’.
Delving into the realms of astral projection, this cut sees Watson weaving intricate lyrics over a Jazzy Hip-Hop melody that soars past the cosmos.The track’s energy is captured in full force with its accompanying visual piece animated and directed by Sigmund Washington.
BE KREATIVE continues his impressive run through 2026 with album, ‘Front Porch Revaluations’, showcasing a stunning fusion of soulful country music and hip-hop across ten reflective tracks. Why not check it out below…
Welcome to NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists from around the globe.
In this lineup, there are three contenders that are worth your attention: an award-winning spoken word artist with a heart wrenching story; a hip-hop artist – who’s a regular on the blog’s new music lineup – bearing his soul and an EDM artist/producer bringing some epic underground vibes to get you going for the weekend.
So if they’ve titillated your musical taste buds, why not go ahead and check them out! If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up or say who’s your favorite below in the comment section.
If you are an 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!
BRANDON LEAKE – INTIMACY
Over the last three years, Emmy Award-winning spoken word artist, educator, and America’s Got Talent Season 15 champion BRANDON LEAKE has experienced an unexpected panic attack, navigated his young daughter’s autoimmune diagnosis, faced financial uncertainty, and found himself asking questions many people are afraid to say out loud: Where is God? Is He still with me? Will He show up when I need Him most?
Rather than hiding those struggles, Brandon transformed them into his most vulnerable project yet, ‘Intimacy’, an album that explores fatherhood, anxiety, fear, healing, and the difficult reality that faith isn’t always certainty, sometimes it’s choosing to trust when life doesn’t make sense.
At a time when conversations around mental health, parenting, and vulnerability continue to resonate with readers, Brandon’s story offers an honest look at what it means to continue showing up for your family while quietly carrying your own fears.
HANDSHAKE IN SPACE – IT’S GONNA BE ME AND YOU (FT. LINNÉA BRUSELIUS)
Scandinavian EDM and electropop project HANDSHAKE IN SPACE returns with single ‘It’s gonna be me and you’ – an intense celebration of togetherness, magnetic attraction, and sleepless nights on the dance floor. Vocal duties are handled by versatile artist Linnéa Bruselius, originally from Rättvik, Sweden, but currently based in Berlin’s vibrant music scene.
Driven by a tempo of 126 BPM, pulsating basslines, and dreamy synthscapes, ‘It’s gonna be me and you’ delivers a balanced blend of club energy and emotional electropop. The track captures that uncompromising feeling of being completely absorbed in the moment and each other—where the surrounding world fades away and nothing matters except the presence here and now.
‘It’s gonna be me and you’ is available across all streaming platforms. Why not check it out…
BEKREATIVE – SURFACE
Houston artist BEKREATIVE returns to the list, laying all his cards on the table with arguably his most vulnerable work to date, ‘Surface’. The reflective, genre-blending hip-hop track chronicles the prejudices he faces as a Black man living in America today.
‘Surface’ is now available across all leading platforms below. Why not check it out?
Oluwatosin’ is the latest album from Nigerian-born, UK-based artist and producer 705—a deeply personal project that introduces listeners to the man behind the artist.
‘Oluwatosin’ is 705’s real name, and choosing it as the album title was an intentional statement: This is me. This is Oluwatosin. This is 705.
Across the project, 705 explores different parts of his journey, blending Afrobeats, Afro-fusion, rap and melodic influences with lyrics delivered in English, Yoruba and Nigerian Pidgin.
The album reflects his experiences, ambitions, relationships, faith and determination to remain committed to his craft. From moments of celebration and gratitude to songs about perseverance, love and personal growth, ‘Oluwatosin’ presents an honest picture of an artist who has continued to pursue his purpose without losing his identity.
As both an artist and producer, 705 plays a central role in shaping the project’s sound. His distinctive vocal tone, confident delivery and ability to move between rapping and melody give the album its character, while its featured artists and producers bring additional depth and variety.
More than simply a collection of songs, ‘Oluwatosin’ represents a new chapter in the journey of 705—one built on authenticity, resilience and the confidence to show the world exactly who he is.
‘Oluwatosin’ is available now on all major streaming platforms.This is the music. This is the journey. This is Oluwatosin.Check it out below…
Singer-songwriter and Americana troubadour DANIEL LEYES releases his collaborative LP ‘Medicinal Americana’, cultivated and produced by the the late songwriter and roots, Americana, and folk-rock legend Todd Snider. The album is available on all digital streaming platforms, and you can find it HERE.
Daniel Leyes has a life story worth telling, and an album, ‘Medicinal Americana’, that brings that story to life. Born and raised on Staten Island, Leyes grew up immersed in the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s, from Motown to Led Zeppelin. He’s been playing guitar and writing songs since his teens, steadily shaping the voice he carries today.
Everything shifted for him in 2017, the first time he heard folk-Americana legend Todd Snider, specifically the song “Conservative Christian.” Leyes recalls, “My life is divided into two parts: before I heard Todd and after I heard Todd. After that chance radio encounter, my life would never be the same.”
Their friendship truly began years later, in 2023, when Leyes attended a songwriting camp hosted by Snider. The two quickly bonded, describing themselves as “cosmic old friends,” sharing songs, stories, and plenty of smoke-filled sessions that helped spark the creative energy behind this album. What neither of them knew at the time was that Medicinal Americana would become Snider’s final production project before his passing, adding a deeper emotional weight to the record.
‘Ha Ha Weed Is Legal,’ one of the album’s lead singles, sets the tone with a carefree sense of celebration. Driven by bright horns, acoustic guitars, and an infectious rhythm, it’s arguably the most immediately memorable track. It’s playful, catchy, and almost nursery rhyme-like in its simplicity.
The next single, ‘Stoner Mating Call,’ strips things back. With just Leyes’ voice and an acoustic guitar front and center, the song leans into humor and charm: “If you wanna make love until mañana / In a funky little bungalow in southwest Tijuana / After which we could smoke some marijuana / Honey, I’m the man for you.” Beneath the cheeky lines is a sincerity that makes the song feel genuine and disarming.
Another standout is ‘Astrovan,’ co-written with Snider. Raw and reflective, it shifts focus away from the album’s lighter themes and into something more personal, chasing dreams, regardless of how messy or uncertain the path may be: “I got this dream that I’m chasing / It comes before everything / This simple life I’m embracing / Living every day to play and sing.”
Other highlights include ‘Can You Do It,’ a dark, smoky, blues-tinged track that leans into introspection, while ‘Party’ swings in the opposite direction, building gradually before exploding into a full, high-energy payoff.
Dedicated to Leyes’ friend Carl “Tinker” West (Bruce Springsteen’s original manager) ‘Medicinal Americana’ is more than just a collection of songs. It’s a journey, one rooted in friendship, growth, creative freedom, and a passionate tribute to Todd Snider’s lasting influence.
