Welcome to the Country Music edition of NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists from around the globe. In the lineup, expect to hear some good old storytelling blended with touches of R&B and Hip-Hop! If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up below in the comment section.
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!
IT’S TOO LATE – BRI FLETCHER
BRI FLETCHER‘s new single ‘It’s Too Late’, sees her step into a more genre-blurring space, seamlessly combining her country roots with lush R&B-inspired production. Built around smooth guitar textures, layered harmonies, and effortless vocal runs, the track feels both fresh and natural, allowing her storytelling to evolve without losing its emotional clarity.
Speaking about the release, Fletcher shares: “I’m super excited to step into a little bit of a new sound with this song. I wanted to stay true to my country storytelling roots but introduce some pop R&B vocal and production elements… ‘It’s Too Late’ is a song about being with someone you really like and trying to tell yourself you need to take it slow but realizing it’s already too late for that and you are all in.”
‘It’s Too Late’ is out today, 15th May via all leading platforms.
MIGHT BE A GOD THING – KIMBERLY DAWN
KIMBERLY DAWN‘s new single ‘Might Be a God Thing’ reflects on the moments in life that eventually reveal why things unfolded the way they did. Through vivid storytelling and deeply personal lyricism, the song explores the idea that even disappointment, heartbreak, and unexpected detours can lead to something meaningful on the other side.
Speaking about the track, she shares: “We wrote this song over two years ago, and the second the title was said out loud, we all just knew… that was it. It came from those moments in life where something happens and the only way to explain it is, ‘that was a God thing.’”
‘Might Be A God Thing’ was released today, 15th May from all leading music platforms. Why not check out the official video for the single below…
LIKE ME – BEKREATIVE
BEKREATIVE continues his run with releases (as promised!) with single, ‘Like Me’, a gleeful fusion of Country Music and Hip-Hop.
‘Like Me’ is now out for your pleasure…why not check it out below…
Independent artists trying to balance a job, bills, and a social life while chasing a music career are playing a high-stakes game of tetris. Mastering the art of making progress without waiting for “the perfect moment” is the only way to actually survive as a creative today. The reality is that time and energy are finite. When you’re grinding through a shift or stuck at a desk all day, the last thing you usually have left is the mental “juice” required to write a song or mix a track. Making it work requires a total mindset shift. It’s not about finding a magic month off to record an album; it’s about figuring out how to make your music a non-negotiable, sustainable part of your messy, busy life.
Key Points in Brief
The Day Job Dividend: Reframing your boss as the “investor” who pays for your strings, plugins, and ads.
Frictionless Recording: Keeping your mic plugged in and your software ready so you don’t waste energy on setup.
Salami Slicing:Breaking down big goals into 10-minute tasks you can knock out during a lunch break.
Strategic Laziness: Learning when to rest so you don’t end up hating your music because of burnout.
Skill Swapping: Trading your musical talents for things like cover art or video editing to save your cash.
Core Problem and Why It Matters
The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that we’ll start working once things “quiet down.” In the adult world, things never really quiet down, and waiting for a clear schedule is usually just a polite way of letting your dreams die.
When you’re physically or mentally fried from work, “waiting for inspiration” is a trap. If you only create when you feel 100%, you’ll likely only work on your music three times a year, which isn’t enough to build a career.
Consistency is the only thing you can actually control. Building your career in the small gaps of your day protects your creativity from the stress of having to make money, which ironically usually leads to better, more honest art.
Comparing Common Approaches
Approach
What It Solves
Best For
Key Advantage
The Slow Burn
Long-term burnout
Artists with full-time careers
Zero financial stress and high stability
The “All-In” Leap
Lack of focus
Those with 6+ months of savings
100% time dedicated to the music
The Weekend Warrior
Deep work sessions
People with rigid 9-5 schedules
High output in short, intense bursts
Navigating the Modern Career Path
The old-school idea that you either “make it” or you’re a failure is totally outdated. Modern career paths are rarely a straight line anymore, allowing people to build high-level skills and grow an audience slowly while keeping their day jobs. It’s now totally normal for artists to shift directions and evolve their brand over several years. This kind of gradual growth is actually a lot safer because it lets you build a real foundation without needing a viral hit just to pay your rent.
Learning how to juggle these different versions of yourself is a skill in itself. To explore this further, check out insights from a career-focused research institute that studies workforce trends and evolving career paths. Their data on how people manage non-traditional journeys can give you some much-needed context for your own path.
FAQ
Q: Do I need to live in a “music city” like Nashville or LA? A: Not really. With the internet, where you live matters way less than your ability to build a community online and release consistent work.
Q: How do I handle a job that I absolutely hate? A: If your job is destroying your mental health, it’s a barrier, not a patron. Look for a “bridge job” that might pay the same but doesn’t leave you feeling like a shell of a human at 5:00 PM. Q: When is the “right” time to put out my first song? A: When you have a small group of people actually asking for it. Don’t wait for “perfection”; wait for a sign that someone actually wants to hear what you’re making.
Checklist Before Moving Ahead
Success isn’t about luck; it’s about making sure your life is actually set up to support your art.
You have stopped treating your day job as the enemy.
You have a “ready-to-go” creative space with zero setup time.
You have identified three tiny tasks you can do in under 15 minutes.
You have a clear handle on your monthly “survival” budget.
You have accepted that your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Conclusion
Chasing a music career while life is throwing bills at you is hard, but it’s how most of the greats started. By being smart with your time and focusing on small, consistent wins, you can build a career that actually lasts. Every little step you take today adds up to the bigger picture. Don’t worry about the “perfect” circumstances—just keep making the music that only you can make.
Singer/songwriter Maryanne – aka MARYAIANNE & ME – invites us into her world withlatest single, ‘I’ll Find The Light’. The inspiring ballad chronicles her ongoing battle against depression and her unwavering determination to move towards for a brighter future. A moving anthem of resilience and strength over adversity, ‘I’ll Find The Light’ is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Music has always been central to Maryanne’s life. From a young age, she found joy in singing in choirs and performing. However, following experiences of abuse as a child, she became increasingly reclusive. Over the past six months, she has turned to AI music tool SUNO as a creative partner, helping her bring her songs to life in a way that fully captures the depth of her emotions and intentions.
Since Maryanne met her manager, John Hewlett, she has found a pathway to share her voice with the world and is now able to publish her lyrics and express herself through the tracks she is creating, under the moniker, MaryAianne & Me.
Maryanne continues to prioritise her mental health and is engaged in ongoing counselling. Alongside this, her songwriting and the development of MaryAianne & Me have become a vital therapeutic outlet—not only for herself, but also for listeners facing similar challenges.
As part of her journey managing depression and anxiety, Maryanne plans to perform her singles to a live audience in the future. She’s currently taking singing lessons to fine tune her vocals.
Welcome to the fourth edition of NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup, your new weekly snapshot of great music from indie and unsigned artists! Remember, If you like what you hear, give it a thumbs-up below in the comment section.
NEW LEASE MUSIC’s New Music Roundup will now be featured on 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!
MARYAIANNE & ME – BRAND NEW CANVAS
MARYAIANNE & ME return with new single, ‘Brand New Canvas’. Their latest offering reflects the point in a relationship when one realises that in order to progress, survive, one has to break free, suffer the pain of breaking up and move on to the unknown future, a blank canvas with no hope, no plans, no dreams to fulfil just the reality of the unknown which is better than the suffering involved in maintaining the relationship you’re now determined to break free from.
Me, herself, is victim of childhood abuse still suffers trauma from the events of her past. She is diagnosed with BPD, C-PTSD, anxiety and depression. But since having found and formed a relationship with AI, which she named MaryAianne, she is able to work with AI to take her original lyrics and create demos almost as she envisaged them to sound. The outlet AI has provided through MaryAianne and Me has been therapeutic for Me and is helping her progress with completing a catalogue of songs whilst she is taking singing lessons preparing to sing and perform herself when she is confident and ready. Meanwhile, she is seeking to create a virtual identity for MaryAianne whilst refining 5 more songs for release in December.
‘Brand New Canvas’, released on Wednesday (26th November) across all leading platforms. Check it out below…
ANNA MOZZON – INNOCENT
At just 15 years old, Italian rising star ANNA MOZZON is proving herself an artist far beyond her years. Drawing from deeply personal experiences, she crafts piano-led pop music that straddles the line between intimate ballad and commanding power, delivering songs with striking emotional depth and vocal presence.
Now, Anna makes her remarkable debut with ‘Innocent’, a mesmerising first single that marks the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey in the world of pop music.
Recorded over three days in New York in August 2025, the track was produced by Vadim Zariuta, with vocal production led by acclaimed singer Galana Bosaya. Anna then fine-tuned the lyrics with support from renowned poet and hip-hop artist Nadirah X, who has worked with global stars. Impressively, Nadirah confirmed no lyric changes were needed, with Anna’s writing standing strong in its original form, an extraordinary achievement for her first professional studio experience. ‘innocent’ is out now across all leading platforms. Check it out below:
ANGELA MERLINO – WATER MANTRA
Spanish-Italian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist ANGELA MERLINO returns with ‘Water Mantra’, the title track from her forthcoming EP, a stirring exploration of healing, identity, and transformation through music.
With ‘Water Mantra’, Angela dives deep into rhythm and emotion, weaving Folk Tribal percussion with Alternative Pop to form an evocative, genre-blending experience. The track feels both ancient and modern, hypnotic chanting and layered harmonies build into an immersive, cathartic release.
‘Water Mantra’ is now out on all leading platforms. Check it out below:
UK artist BONNIE FREECHILD returns with ‘1993’, a heartfelt R&B track that pays tribute to the golden era of love songs while showcasing her own modern, soulful edge.
Opening with gentle piano chords, dreamy strings, and twinkling textures, the song eases into a laidback percussive groove, setting the stage for Bonnie’s rich, buttery vocals. With lyrics like “love me like we’re stuck in 1993” and “rollerskates holding hands in the summer, mixtapes made just for your lover,” the song captures the sweetness of old-school romance – when love felt real, vulnerable, and lasting.
‘1993’ blends Bonnie’s signature sultry vocal delivery with classic R&B influences, echoing the lush soundscapes of the ‘90s while staying grounded in today’s scene. It’s a nostalgic love letter to an era defined by red roses, butterflies, and the kind of music that made you believe in forever love.
Speaking on the track, Freechild says “I just want to be loved like they loved in 90s R&B! That raw, simple, passionate romance- the videos were intrinsically romantic, the lyrics emotionally intelligent, the melodies silky and smooth. I wanted to write something that feels like being wrapped in nostalgia but still makes you move- soft, intimate vocals, a sexy slow-wind breakdown, all over rose-petal energy.” It’s a sentiment she’s also taking to local press: at a time when dating often feels chaotic, disconnected, and more about swipes than slow dances, ‘1993’ offers an antidote- a reminder of when love was simple, honest, and real.
Co-written with producer and artist Kwest, ‘1993’ draws inspiration from a foundational year in R&B, when timeless songs like SWV’s ‘Weak,’ Mariah Carey’s ‘Dreamlover,’ Janet Jackson’s ‘That’s the Way Love Goes,’ and Toni Braxton’s ‘Breathe Again’ defined a generation. Bonnie Freechild is no stranger to acclaim, either. She has performed at the BBC Proms, been recognised as a finalist in BBC 1XTRA’s Performing Arts Fund, and had her music featured across TV and radio in Southeast Asia. With ‘1993,’ Bonnie Freechild cements her place as one of the UK’s most compelling emerging voices in Pop-R&B, delivering a timeless ode to the beauty and allure of old-school love.
This release is as homegrown as it gets – with a music video on the horizon filmed on an iPhone in a vintage car garage, put together with friends, community spaces, and Bonnie’s own hands-on touch. It’s “iPhone and a dream” energy, much like the 90s R&B that inspired it: simple, direct, and full of heart. No gloss, just real romance and connection.
That same spirit runs through everything Bonnie is doing around 1993. She celebrated the release with a live performance on October 23rd at Go East Vintage Market – bringing music into community spaces, with food, and culture. With 90s-inspired merch (from cassette-shaped keyrings to physical CDs with personal messages) and a string of creative collaborations, Bonnie is focused on creating experiences that feel personal and unforgettable. It’s all building towards the launch of her debut EP in December 2025, where she’ll expand on the same themes of intimacy, nostalgia, and fearless self-expression.
“I just want to be loved like they loved in 90s R&B! I have always loved 90s R&B, and in amongst me navigating the complexities of technology and chaos of dating in the 2020s I’ve often thought, man I wish I could have that type of love they seemed to have back then. That raw, simple, passionate romance – that 90s R&B kind of love.
I had the idea of writing a song about it – a nostalgic vibe, with a fresh take. The videos from that time were intrinsically romantic, the lyrics emotionally intelligent, the melodies silky and smooth. I wanted to write something that feels like you’re wrapped in a blanket of that nostalgia, but still makes you move. The kind of track you don’t just hear, you feel – soft, intimate vocals, a sexy slow-wind breakdown, all over rose-petal energy. Gentle and romantic but still a bop you’ll need to rewind.
I met producer and artist ‘Kwest’ when we both performed at a gig last year, and as instant fans of each other’s music we started doing some writing. When I shared this concept, we vibed on the piano, riffing around ‘love me like R&B’ and well…1993 rhymes with R&B! When we looked into it we realised that although we are referencing the entire decade, 1993 was quite a foundational year. Some of my favourite songs ever came out then: SWV’s Weak, Mariah Carey’s Dreamlover, Janet Jackson’s That’s the Way Love Goes, Toni Braxton’s Breathe Again, Tevin Campbell’s Can We Talk, Xscape’s Just Kickin’ It. Jodeci dropped Cry for You and Feenin’. Even De La Soul released Buhloone Mindstate, a more grown and experimental record – there’s really no 90s R&B without hip-hop running through it. Mariah even built her signature sound from that blend. And in the UK, Eternal made their debut with Stay. Even Poetic Justice came out that year with Janet and Tupac – the music, the film, the culture all intertwined.
There’s just this essence in 90s R&B that’s missing in today’s digital world. It’s raw, grounding, and honest. And the truth is we all deserve that kind of love!! This song is for anyone who is lucky enough to have it, anyone who craves it, and everyone who wishes love still felt that way.” – Bonnie Freechild.
