BUZZMUSIC Magazine: Issue 02 // Feb 26'

February is short. No filler. No room for mid. Either you show up, or you get skipped.

And somehow, in the middle of grey skies, industry burnout, and algorithm fatigue, a handful of artists actually delivered. Not background-noise drops. Not trend-chasing singles built for 15-second clips. Real releases. The kind that made us pause mid-scroll. The kind that reminded us why we care about this in the first place.

This month felt less like a numbers game and more like an energy shift. Artists leaned into vulnerability without sounding rehearsed. Production felt intentional instead of overcrowded. Hooks stuck for the right reasons.

Whether it was an independent breakout refusing to water themselves down, a genre-bender bending expectations, or a slow-burn record that demanded headphones at midnight, these releases did more than exist. They elevated.

These are the 10 releases that showed up in February and made the month feel bigger than 28 days.

10 Releases That Showed Up And Elevated Us In February

Bekka Dowland - "Be A Little Kinder"

Western Massachusetts country-pop artist Bekka Dowland enters February with a message that feels refreshingly grounded. Her latest single, “Be A Little Kinder,” blends classic country storytelling with modern pop polish, reinforcing what she does best: writing songs that feel personal, relatable, and rooted in real life.

Known for her emotionally honest lyrics and strong, warm vocals, Bekka has built her artistry around themes of love, heartbreak, resilience, and growth. This release narrows the lens to something deceptively simple: the small, everyday choices that shape the world around us. A door held open. A smile to a stranger. A moment of patience instead of frustration. “Be A Little Kinder” highlights the unseen battles people face and reminds us that even the smallest gesture can create a ripple effect.

There is a quiet perspective at the core of the track. We are all just a speck on a spinning rock in space, sharing limited time. If that is true, kindness becomes less of a grand statement and more of a daily responsibility.

Bekka’s message lands softly but powerfully. In a season often defined by big declarations of love, she reframes connection as something simpler and more universal. Sometimes, the smallest actions make the biggest difference.

Connor Nelson - "Red Mountain Light"

Vancouver pop artist Connor Nelson steps into the spotlight with Red Mountain Light, a debut EP that feels both cinematic and deeply personal. A true student of pop, Connor approaches the genre with intention and precision, crafting songs that balance polished production with emotional weight.

His music has already made serious waves, landing on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, charting on Shazam in eight countries, including the Top 100 on Shazam Australia Pop, and earning airplay on CBC Radio One. But Red Mountain Light is where the full picture comes into focus.

At its core, the EP is a coming-of-age record shaped by heartbreak, grief, obsession, and self-doubt. Connor does not shy away from the mess. Instead, he walks straight into it. Across the project, he confronts emotional “monsters” head-on, tracing the chaos that follows a breaking point while threading in the clarity that eventually emerges. Sonically, the EP blends sleek alt-pop textures with raw, hook-driven storytelling, capturing both the spiral and the strength that follows.

Chloe Mayse - "Horoscopes"

Toronto’s Chloe Mayse continues carving out space in alternative pop with vulnerability at the center. A queer singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Chloe’s journey began early, from singing at two years old to winning a competition that placed her onstage backing up Tegan and Sara at the JUNO Awards. That moment helped shape her vision, not just as an artist, but as a voice within Toronto’s queer community. Advocacy, identity, and emotional honesty are not side notes in her career. They are the foundation.

Featured on her debut EP Dear Love, the track “Horoscopes” captures Chloe at a crossroads. Written during a period of unemployment and deep self-doubt, the song wrestles with purpose, insecurity, and the fear that no one outside her inner circle was truly listening. In search of reassurance, she weaves in metaphors of seeking signs from the universe, from psychics to lottery tickets to bingo halls, reflecting that very human desire for confirmation that we are on the right path.

“Horoscopes” feels like an open journal entry set to melody. It does not pretend to have all the answers. Instead, it sits inside the discomfort of uncertainty and allows space for it. Chloe’s message resonates deeply: it is okay to question yourself. It is okay to feel lost. Growth does not always arrive with immediate clarity. Sometimes, the strength is simply in staying present long enough for the light to find you.

Marcus Alland - "EYES ON YOU"

Christian Hip-Hop artist Marcus Alland brings conviction and clarity to this February edition with his latest album, EYES ON YOU. A 2× Grammy-considered artist and voting member of the Recording Academy, Marcus stands at the intersection of artistic excellence and spiritual purpose. His music does not blur the line between faith and culture. It confronts it directly.

Known for pairing bold lyricism with Christ-centered messaging, Marcus delivers hard-hitting production layered with transparent testimony. EYES ON YOU is rooted in one central idea: maintaining focus on God in the middle of distraction, pressure, and spiritual warfare. Across the album, he wrestles with identity, obedience, perseverance, and the tension between cultural noise and divine calling.

The project moves with range. Some tracks arrive with intensity and declaration, driven by confident flows and sharp production. Others slow down, creating space for vulnerability and reflection. Marcus balances street-influenced cadence with scripture-grounded truth, building a body of work that feels both contemporary and spiritually anchored.

At its core, EYES ON YOU functions as more than a collection of songs. It is a posture. A reminder that direction is not found in trends, applause, or external validation, but in steady focus. Marcus Alland’s message is clear: no matter the pressure or the fight, keeping your eyes on God is what keeps you aligned.

Gregory Tan - "Zenith"

Composer and producer Gregory Tan continues to prove that cinematic music does not just live behind the scenes; it drives the moment. Specializing in emotionally charged, trailer-ready production, Gregory has built a career crafting large-scale soundscapes that amplify some of the biggest franchises in entertainment. With placements spanning Fast & Furious 9, Jurassic World: Dominion, Star Wars: Andor, Kung Fu Panda 4, World of Warcraft, and more, his work thrives where tension, impact, and storytelling collide.

For this feature, the spotlight turns to the official trailer for A24’s Ne Zha 2, which uses Gregory’s track “Zenith” from start to finish. Published and represented by Grooveworx Trailers, “Zenith” anchors the entire visual arc, underscoring the scale and emotional gravity of the film’s rollout. It is the kind of placement that reminds audiences how powerful music can be when paired with striking imagery. The right composition does not just support a trailer. It elevates it.

Beyond the spectacle, Gregory’s journey highlights something equally important: the strength of sync licensing as a creative and financial lane for producers and composers. Film, television, gaming, advertising, and trailers all present opportunities for music to travel further than traditional release models might allow. When a track finds life in a major campaign, it introduces the composer’s work to audiences who may never have discovered it otherwise.

Gregory Tan represents a different side of artistry. One where music fuels blockbuster storytelling, and where sync is not a compromise, but a powerful stage of its own.

Traumatone - "Identity"

Phoenix-based hard rock force Traumatone arrives in this February edition with Identity, an EP that lives up to the project’s tagline: “The Soundtrack To The Broken World.” Spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist Jesse Broniste, Traumatone is less a traditional band and more a full-scale emotional outlet. The sound fuses alternative rock, industrial metal, and post-punk textures into something cinematic and unrelenting, where ambient tension collides with hard-hitting riffs and resonant, urgent vocals.

Identity dives straight into the internal war most people avoid naming. Across the EP, Traumatone explores the pull between light and dark, wrestling with anger, resentment, depression, and the constant pressure to let those forces take control. The production leans into that tension. Gritty guitars grind against atmospheric synths, creating a soundscape that feels both claustrophobic and expansive, mirroring the battle happening within the lyrics.

Identity pushes listeners to fight for the parts of themselves that remain compassionate, grounded, and human in a world that often feels colder by the day. Traumatone stands as a reminder that confronting your darker side does not mean surrendering to it. Sometimes strength looks like refusing to become hardened by the chaos around you and choosing to hold on to who you truly are.

Asmi Alderay - “Leaving Still Wanting You”

Not every breakup ends in anger. Sometimes it ends in awareness. On “Leaving Still Wanting You,” LA-based singer-songwriter Asmi Aderay captures the quiet devastation of walking away from someone you still love.

A 2025 Berklee College of Music Performance graduate originally from India, Asmi blends intimate lyricism with restrained alternative pop production. The track floats on haunting melodies and emotionally exposed vocals, mirroring the push and pull of desire and self-preservation. It lives in that uncomfortable middle ground, not bitter, not healed, just honest.

What makes this release resonate is its emotional maturity. It validates the contradiction of missing someone deeply while knowing that leaving was the right decision. Strength here is not loud or dramatic. It is subtle. It is choosing yourself even when your heart is still attached.

“Leaving Still Wanting You” feels cinematic but deeply personal, a reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is be the one who gets away.

Amar Miller – “FOUL 38” (feat. Wakai & Dre Wave$)

Amar Miller doesn’t just rap. He builds environments. On “FOUL 38,” the Clemson-born, Dallas-based artist pulls from spacey jazz textures and modern trap rhythms to create something that feels less like a single and more like a late-night atmosphere you step into.

Raised between Toledo’s proximity to Chicago’s music lineage and later shaped by time in Texas, Amar’s sound carries layered influences. You can hear the melodic sensibility inspired by artists like Curtis Mayfield, woven into production that nods to the fluid, genre-bending energy of today’s alt-rap scene. Instead of packing the track with bars for the sake of proving a point, “FOUL 38” leans into mood, restraint, and texture.

Featuring Wakai and Dre Wave$, the song feels collaborative in the right way. No one is fighting for the spotlight. The verses breathe. The melodies stretch. The production feels intentional, atmospheric, and slightly futuristic, which makes sense coming from an Oklahoma State aerospace studies graduate who approaches music like exploration.

“FOUL 38” marks a shift in Amar’s creative philosophy. It is less about over-explaining and more about letting the experience unfold. Instead of forcing listeners to dissect every lyric, he invites them to sit in the layers, the bounce, the subtle jazz accents floating under trap percussion.

As he gears up for his upcoming project, Theme Music, this track feels like a statement. Amar Miller is not chasing a viral moment. He is refining his world. And “FOUL 38” proves he is learning that sometimes the strongest flex is knowing when to let the music speak for itself.

Giselle - “SWEET BABY”

Boston-born, Buffalo-raised, and now fully rooted in Los Angeles, Giselle has been building toward this moment since she was five years old. A true multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, drums, guitar, violin, and ukulele, she is more than just a vocalist with a good hook. She is a musician with range, grit, and the kind of stage presence sharpened by years of gigging across New York before taking the leap to LA at 21.

Since landing in Los Angeles, she has performed at iconic venues like The Hotel Cafe, The Mint, Whisky a Go Go, Hotel Ziggy, and even iHeart Radio, proving she has both the toughness and talent to thrive in a competitive industry.

Her latest release, “Sweet Baby,” flips a tired narrative on its head. Instead of pitting women against each other, Giselle reframes the story. The track is about reclaiming your voice, telling the truth, and refusing to fight over someone who was never honest in the first place. Rather than blaming the other woman, she warns her. She unites with her. The real accountability lands where it belongs.

Sonically, the record balances emotional vulnerability with bold conviction. There is strength in the delivery and clarity in the message. No petty energy. Just empowerment.

With “Sweet Baby,” Giselle is not just sharing a song. She is encouraging listeners to speak up, walk away from dishonesty, and let the truth be known.

Terrence Esquire Huggins - "fck being famous"

Terrence Esquire Huggins makes one thing clear: he is not here to chase clout. fck being famous lives in the space where authenticity matters more than algorithms. The project feels intentional from start to finish, like a late-night confession set against moody drums and soulful production.

A Latin Grammy-nominated producer with deep DC roots, Huggins approaches the album with a sharp ear and steady control. The beats never overpower him. They leave space. On tracks like “fine with me” and “meditate,” warm chords and minimal percussion allow his lyrics to breathe. When the tempo tightens on “wow” and “never quit,” the hunger in his delivery rises with it. Ambition, doubt, loyalty, and exhaustion all sit side by side, creating a sound that feels honest instead of polished for approval.

The closing track, “Dreaming Big,” brings everything full circle. Fame is not the destination. Growth is. Survival is. Self-respect is. That tension gives the album weight.

With LDR Entertainment preparing for international festival performances in the UK and beyond in 2026, Huggins is focused on longevity, not headlines. As he puts it, “It's okay to be authentic in your creative process. Raw, unfiltered, and human.” This project proves he means it.

February doesn’t hand out trophies. It just exposes who came prepared.

The artists on this list didn’t rely on gimmicks or inflated hype cycles. They delivered records that felt lived-in, intentional, and replay-worthy. The kind you return to when the noise dies down, and you actually want to feel something.

If this is the energy we’re setting two months into 2026, the rest of the year better keep up. We’ll be watching. And listening.