Sigrid, ‘How To Let Go.’   Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid has used her music as an outlet to deliver messages of self-empowerment and confidence since she released breakthrough single “Don’t Kill My Vibe” in 2017, when she was 20. The quiet verses and building choruses, with lyrics like, “You love…

Kehlani, “blue water road.” “It’s only your passion how you move by,” Kehlani sang at the end of their 2020 track “Open (Passionate).” Even if it’s a lyric that describes someone else, it surmises Kehlani’s approach to both songwriting and vocal delivery perfectly. And their ability to present lucid and…

Miranda Lambert, ‘Palomino.’ For the last decade, Miranda Lambert has charted one of the most successful and interesting careers in country music. Between solo and collaborative projects, she’s released seven albums in the last 10 years, each a success in one form or another. She’s won Grammys for three…

Jewel, “Freewheelin’ Woman.” During the opening vocalizing of “Long Way ‘Round,” it’s immediately apparent why Jewel titled her new album Freewheelin’ Woman. Her voice, as powerful as ever, emulates the feeling of someone who’s learned to not takes things too seriously. It’s not a mindset one just adopts overnight,…

Banks, ‘Serpentina,’ Some 400 years ago, English theologian Thomas Fuller wrote “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” Despite its relative simplicity, it remains true, giving us all the more reason to apply the phrase to art and our lives. It’s the perfect description of Jillian Rose Banks’ journey to make Serpentina.…

Omar Apollo, ‘Ivory.’ After a string of EPs and a mixtape in the last few years, singer-songwriter Omar Apollo has finally finished Ivory. A long time in the making—he scrapped almost an entire album’s worth of material mere days before promotion began, and he started over—his first LP continues his trend…

Maren Morris, ‘Humble Quest.’ Maren Morris made her name in country music the same way many do, singing about trucks, bad boys and getting drunk with friends. She originally moved to Nashville just hoping to become a songwriter, but soon got the knack for being on the stage. The…

Charli XCX, courtesy. Terrence O’Connor Charli XCX has made it abundantly clear she has no intentions of creating the same album twice. Her breakthrough came a decade ago via collaborations with Iggy Azalea and Icona Pop, but collaborations are about the end of the similarities between her music then…

It’s been a decade since a 16-year-old Ella Henderson was prematurely eliminated from the British “The X Factor.” Her debut, Chapter One, followed two years later to general international success with lead single “Ghost.” But there was just silence from Henderson’s camp until her 2019 four-track EP, Glorious. Finally, eight years…

Matisyahu, self-titled album. Amid endless cycles of political turmoil and bad news, music seems to be becoming increasingly aware, personal and political. Though the musicians might not be explicit in their opinions on specific topics, there is an undeniable awareness in the tones and symbolism of the pieces. And…